Needs and Wants: An At World's End Story
by HelenaHermione
Summary: As Captain Jack Sparrow, desiring the return of his ship, is given a test in the purgatory desert of World's End, Elizabeth and Will must come to terms with their own relationship and must face treacherous waters.
1. Chapter 1

This is my first fan-fic, originallly posted on IMDb's board for AWE, now brought onto in a newly organized, clumped-together format for continuity.

**Summary: As Captain Jack is tested in the purgatory of World's End to regain his ship, Elizabeth and Will must come to terms and must deal with treacherous waters.**

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own these characters, they are the property of the Disney Corporation, yadda yadda, I do not mean offense to Mickey or the board of directors, yadda yadda, why do they own Pirates?  
**

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**1. Beginnings and an End**

The waves crashed up against the shore, foaming red, and a man crawled out of the tide, clutching a bloody sword and a pistol, gasping and vomiting, his mind blank...for he had been reborn again, soaked in Kraken blood. His first breath was of seawater when he fired and slashed his way out of the monster, his first movements had been paddling and kicking to get away from the sharks that had been approaching, and his first words were spoken as he crawled up from the tide-line.

The man muttered, "I need...I need something."

He collapsed on the beach, muttering to himself as he released his weapons and pushes them aside, clutching at something in his pocket...he pulled out a compass, the point spinning widely, and he fell asleep, dreaming of the spinning point.

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The sun rose as the few surviving pirates loaded up their rowboats in the upriver swamp of Pelogosto, Tia Dalma and Elizabeth helping as Captain Hector Barbossa petted his monkey Jack, gazing out at the swamp.

Barbossa murmured, "To see the light of day after so long in darkness...and to feel the warmth when I could feel nothing for so long before. 'Tis another chance, that's what it is...I suppose I owe it to you, Tia Dalma."

Tia Dalma paused and turned to face him as she told him, "I knew when you died, true enough, for both your spirit and soul were struggling so in departure...you wanted to live. I went out to the Isla de la Muerta and brought back your body, still warm even though it had to have been two days since you were killed, but it still took me a long while to ease your soul and spirit back into the livin' realm. I said nothing to the others when they first came, I was still uncertain whether your soul would be stable enough to stay, for the soul is perhaps more important than the spirit and body, but it was lucky that they brought Jack."

Elizabeth blinked and quickly queried, "So did Jack know, Barbossa, did he see you?"

Barbossa sighed and responded, "She meant me monkey, the cute little thing...my soul stayed for him. Right, we're nearly ready to sail out...I know a friend in Tortuga, I think I can scare him into giving me a ship. Tia Dalma, will you come with us? I still don't feel right, you know, and I want to stay as long as I can..."

Tia Dalma nodded and neutrally told him, "I will keep you livin', for as long as you're needed by anyone."

Barbossa grinned and said, "I thank you kindly, I suppose, to be used in such a way."

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Troops of soldiers, members of East India Company, paraded in the square of the fort of Port Royal under review of Lord Cutler Beckett and a grim Governor Weatherby Swann. Murtogg and Mullroy stood at attention close by, glancing at each other, as the two gentlemen turned and walked to a private balcony, accompanied by the two soldiers.

Beckett turned his head to Swann and queried, "What did you think of my men?"

Swann slowly nodded and responded, "They're fine enough, I suppose, so long as they are ordered not to harm Elizabeth when they find her. I will approve of their deployment, though in my opinion, Norrington isn't the right man to command them...he has failed before and I'm afraid he's too bitter, he might harm my daughter and then what would have been the use of all this? They're pirates, true, but they're still men...I pity them for what they're about to face."

Beckett frowned and asked, "How can that be so when you never pitied my mother, your cousin on the 'poor' side of your family?"

Governor Swann winced and answered, "Oh, Cutler…I am so sorry. I cannot amend for what happened all of those years ago, but I had no affection for her, not when I had my Natasha, and then I lost contact with her when she married your father and moved aboard…I never knew of their poor affairs."

Beckett growled and muttered, "Yes, it was a poor affair when, for all my titles and nobility, I still had to wear worn clothes and then I had to fight to earn a living as a poor clerk of the East India Company. Life was cruel to me and so I had to be cruel to survive and now I have become the manager of its affairs here in the Caribbean."

They reached the balcony and Beckett dismissed Murtogg and Mullroy, who warily retreated off to the side. Beckett spun about to face Governor Swann.

Beckett told him, "The fact of the matter is, Weatherby, you're too soft. When you were made governor of Jamaica, it was for the purpose of civilizing and taming the Caribbean, but the pirates continued to reign, even with the zeal of such men as Norrington, and your daughter even fraternized with them. The officials back in England have finally grown weary of your gentle ways. One of the tasks assigned to me when I came here was to examine your leadership and, if I found it to be unsuitable, I was given the power to relieve you of your duty. Mr. Weatherby Swann, you are no longer the governor of Jamaica. All of your wealth and title, here and in England, will be stripped from you."

Swann gasped and whimpered as he cried, "This is outrageous! Cutler, you're doing this just to spite me with your anger at your father, you're betraying me for my truthful choice of a life with Natasha! What about Elizabeth, you swore to me that she would be safe!"

Beckett sneered and remarked, "Why would a lord like myself promise to protect a pirate, even if that pirate is a girl? My pact with you means nothing, you are of no further use to me...and my name is Lord Beckett."

Cutler Beckett slapped Weatherby Swann and pushed him, he was so unbalanced by these betrayals that he fell, his head slamming on the stone as Murtogg and Mullroy rushed over, halting at the glare of Lord Beckett.

Beckett orderd them, "As governor, I will allow you both to take him to a doctor, much good it will do him."

Lord Beckett strode off and the two soldiers bent down, aghast at all of this as Weatherby Swann lifted his head and murmured, "I see her...my darling Natasha."

Murtogg whisperd, "It'll be fine, sir, the doctor can save you."

Swann grunted and murmured, "You two...I bid you both to be loyal to me, to find my daughter and protect her...my Natasha wants my daughter to know something. There are words, powerful words, that she must know..."

Swann murmurs these words and Murtogg and Mullroy memorize them, promising to obey him, as Weatherby Swann dies, the noon sun crisping the stones of the fort.

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	2. 2 Meetings and Motives

On the last chapter, I added on to the explanation of why Governor Weatherby Swann had done nothing for his poor cousin-mainly so that I could stay true to Governor Swann's good nature being supplanted by his ignorance, i.e. he never helped them because he didn't know anything was wrong, and why Lord Beckett is so angered by his softness/and angry with his own father. It works out, especially in how Governor Swann sees Natasha before he passes on as the motive for why he lost touch with them in the first place as he had never married Beckett's mother. (Note: I don't even know exactly what happened with Beckett's father, whether he was a scoundrel or just of a lower class, where they moved aboard to-could it have been India or Germany or what?-or whether or not Beckett's father was a soldier or so.)

Now, with this next chapter, I'm going to set-up the summary: in fact, the first chapter might be more of a prologue than anything else.

**Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, so is that shady business?**

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**2. Meetings and Motives**

The man reborn of Kraken blood stood in a place beyond time and space, a desert distorted…his clothes were now dry and dusty with sand and grit as he took off his hat and fanned himself. He was still somber and indifferent to such a change as he glanced around, he was simply wondering what else was going to befall him. Suddenly, he squinted and slowed his fanning, placing his hat back on his head as he stepped forward, suddenly shadowed from the sunlight...shocked, yet now hopeful, he staggered, then walked, and then ran forward. Though slightly blurred by the heat, it was still there as he advanced closer...the facade of a ship, worn and pockmarked by barnacles on the hull, with the tattered sails fluttering on the masts, too immovable and yet too fragile in this desert environ.

The man slowed to a halt a few inches from the bow and reached out to touch the wood, rubbing and ignoring the splinters as he felt something stirring, deep within him...he murmured, "Black Pearl. My home."

He smiled to himself, to have remembered something, and he thought that this is probably what he needed...he started to walk along the perimeter of the hull, wondering if there was a way he could climb onboard, and suddenly there was a rope ahead, hanging down its length. He chuckled to himself and strolled over to the rope, but suddenly there is a tug...he sprinted and leapt toward it, but sprawled in the sand as the rope slipped through his fingers, burning him, someone has pulled up the rope.

He groaned and lifted his head, muttering, "Bugger."

He managed to stand and, realizing that someone must be up there, he staggered back until he could see someone gazing down at him...with the bright sunlight, he couldn't see this person clearly, but he could see that the fellow was twirling the bottom end of the rope now.

The man bereft of his memory now hoarsely yelled, "Hello! That's not your ship, that's my ship...uh, savvy? I...I am the captain, that's right! Drop the rope and let me board my Black Pearl, I need to!"

Now the other fellow exclaimed, "Ah, me boy Jack, I know it pains ye to be so helpless, but it's for your own good. You say ya need to board, but that's not what ya really need...you're just confusing your want with your need. I told ye, when you left for sea, that the need to sail would doom ya...and here you are, a pirate cursed, your ship stuck here, and ya don't know what you need to board. Well, I'll give ye some comfort...pull up the sleeve on your right arm and you'll know who ya are."

Jack blinks and pulls up his right sleeve, rubbing his tattoos as he stared at the seabird, before he grumbled, "Jack...Captain Jack Seagull? Is that my name...father?"

His father growled and bellowed, "You're an idiot, always has been! Sparrow! I named ya Jack Sparrow, as me father had named me Teague Sparrow! But you're not just satisfied with that, ye strut around and always insist on being called Captain now, an arrogant idiot! I mean, right now ye just confused your wants and your needs! You're a shame to me and your family name!"

Jack cleared his throat and lectured, "So...you're saying that I don't need the Pearl in that I've mistaken the want for a need, but you're confessing that my need to leave home was sound, probably because it was born of your own accursed need to drink due to your want of drowning grief for my mother Pearl, who did not see the need to leave our burning house in the want for saving her father's portrait, so in retrospect I am truly a Sparrow in confusing wants and needs, which I have followed closely by, years ago, needing to free those bound in chains and needing to sail still, even branded as a pirate for so-called crimes, which is why I wanted to name my resurrected ship the Black Pearl and which is why I...want to board, now, but you're telling me that I need something else more importantly than that."

Teague Sparrow grinned and muttered, "You're an idiot, but I'll admit that ya can learn, and maybe ye can still honor your family name if ye do good."

Jack growls and remarks, "Sure, whatever, I just have to figure out the right leverage needed to board in the first place...bugger it, I'll be stuck here until the opportune moment of enlightenment comes to me. And how long will that take?"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Chinese warship 'The Empress', a large, long ship embellished with curves, was anchored at a dock in the harbor of Tortuga this evening, bobbing in the water with ropes attached to the posts. Its gangplanks had also been lowered, toward the bow of the ship, while the stern is in shadow, and right now, its crew staggered up and down these planks, unloading heavy crates. Their labor was supervised by their captain, a man dressed in Manchu clothes yet his head was wrapped up in a bandana, his private protest at having to be forced by Chinese law to keep his head shaved with the exception of his quene. He yelled in Cantonese at some of his sailors, sliding his sword out of his sheath and gesturing with the blade toward the correct spot as several sailors shifted the crates. Suddenly, one sailor glanced behind his captain and cried out, pointing as the other sailors looked up, gasping as one of them dropped his crate. The captain growled, but he slowly turned around to see what had caught his attention...a man had just stepped onto their dock, the light of Tortuga behind him as he strode toward the Chinese ship and crew, the members of which muttered to each other. Their captain, however, said nothing and took a few steps toward the other man, who had now halted a few feet away from them, a skeleton monkey perched on his left shoulder.

Captain Barbossa nodded and remarked, "Tis a fine evening, my good Captain Sao Feng, a right night for shady business and for ghosts to wander."

The Chinese sailors said nothing, though a few glanced at their unmarked crates, but Captain Sao Feng hardly flinched as he commented, "Captain Barbossa...I have heard about what happened to you, shot down in the midst of an attack by Royal Marines against you. So you are a ghost?"

Barbossa sighed and replied, "Rightly enough, my former friend in life, I died upon a strange isle, though not exactly in the crossfire of British muskets...it was a bit more personal than that, and that's the real truth. It pains me even now, but I manage not to let the thought pester me...in death. Aye, I come here because I felt your presence in Tortuga, the place where I experienced the pleasures that pirating had to offer before I was cursed, and I wanted to parley a little, if you'll grant that pity to an old ghoul."

Meanwhile, with the Chinese sailors riveted upon this supernatural meeting and Sao Feng glancing away in discomfort, a small longboat bobbed alongside 'The Empress', crewed by the surviving members of Jack's crew: Joshamee Gibbs, Tia Dalma, Cotton (and his parrot), Marty, Pintel and Ragetti, and Will and Elizabeth. The pirates stared up at the ship while far in the distance behind them, ships sailed in and out of the harbor, of various shapes and models, likely going off for their own shady business this evening.

Gibbs squinted and muttered, "Right then, I hear Captain Barbossa talking...took him long enough to get to that dock, I wonder what was holding him up? Well, anyway, make sure your weapons are securely fastened when we start climbing the ropes, we don't want anything clanging, splashing, or discharging. This ship is heavily manned, our only luck will be to have the element of surprise."

Cotton's parrot squawked, "15 men on a dead man's chest."

Gibbs shuddered and muttered, "Right, that could happen, if this doesn't go well."

Elizabeth, sitting beside Will, realized that he had stopped rowing and she turned her head to see that he was staring at her...Elizabeth blinked and asked, "What's wrong?"

Will sighed and answered, "Well, it's just that...I want some peace of mind before we go through all of this. Elizabeth, when we were abandoning ship, I saw...I saw you kiss Jack."

The susurration of the oars sweeping the waves abruptly dissipated as the crew turned to gawk at Will and Elizabeth while she gasped and lowered her head as she whispered, "Will...this isn't exactly the right time."

Meanwhile, Captain Sao Feng turned his gaze back toward Barbossa now, steady as he arched his eyebrows and remarked, "Parley? That is an odd word to use, to speak for bargaining, especially when you are dead. To be dead, to be a ghost, there is supposed to be nothing more needed...no pleasure and no pain, no desire and no sustenance, you're supposed to fade to nothing more than a wisp from that. Yet here you are, standing in front of me...seeming to be almost as solid as you were in life. And what about your monkey, the one you named Jack soon after buying it from me with your cursed gold piece, how can he be sitting on your shoulder? How can you support his weight?"

Captain Barbossa cleared his throat and explained, "My poor monkey was killed alongside me, loyal to the end, he is as much a ghost as I am. As for my request to parley with you, just a slip of a tongue in truth, the Pirate Code remains true to my soul and I thought it would be appropriate, considering how our conversation is serious in nature, being between the living and the dead."

The Chinese crew muttered amongst themselves, especially when a cloud passed in front of the moon to change Jack the monkey back again, as Sao Feng scowled and commented, "What salvation have you found? You weren't always true to the Pirate Code in your own life, as I seem to recall, so why should it be so true to you now in death? You could bend the Pirate Code for your own needs and you are a strange man, touched by the unnatural, so evil that hell spat you back out as some say...did you even bend death to meet your desires?"

Meanwhile, in the longboat, Will rubbed his forehead and explained, "I did try to speak to you, before, but I couldn't say the words, not so soon after the kraken ate Jack. Yet now that we're risking our lives, that image is bothering me, I don't want to die with my mind nagging me, disturbing my peace forever. And if I do survive, I...I don't want to waste my life haunted by doubt."

Elizabeth sighed and murmured, "The kiss meant nothing, especially when Jack is dead."

Will scowled and queried, "Did the kiss mean something _then_, I want to know that."

Elizabeth groaned and screamed, "No! I only kissed him so that he wouldn't notice that I was tying him to the mast!"

The crew gasped and stared at her, aghast, while on the dock, the Chinese sailors started yelling in Cantonese, pulling out cutlasses and pistols as they raced toward their ship, toward the sound of the female yell. Meanwhile, Captain Barbossa cursed and unsheathed his sword, blocking the swing of Sao Feng's blade as the two men glared at each other, a moment before chaos.

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**My favorite phrases of this chapter: **Barbossa: "Tis a fine evening, my good Captain Sao Feng, a right night for shady business and for ghosts to wander" and...'a moment before chaos.' 


	3. 3 When Pirates Come Together

Here we are again, and as to the tension between Will and Elizabeth, that is about to be delayed for awhile due to the chaos that is about to strike Tortuga. (By the way, Tortuga is a real place in the Caribbean, off the coast of Haiti/Dominican Republic, you learn something new everyday, don't ya?) By the name, as to colloquial diction...I am a bit lazy to that. I only tried to change up Teague's 'you' and your' without any specific regional identity and I didn't even try to work with Dalma's Caribbean diction. In any case, I have been trying to maintain a dignity with Sao Feng, which is why he isn't going to capture Elizabeth in this story (as rumored to be part of the movie)

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own these characters...Damn.****  
**

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**3. When Pirates Come Together**

Suddenly, there was an explosion not far from the dock, startling Captain Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng, and they lowered their blades as they turned to gaze at a building, a gaping hole right in the middle of it as wood cracked, unstable. Out in the longboat floating beside 'The Empress', the crew forgot about Elizabeth's revelation as they twisted themselves around to see, in the distance, 'The Dauntless' turned toward the pirate haven, a canon smoking within its side, and other British ships sailing towards the harbor. Then another cannon from 'The Dauntless' fired, the cannonball soaring through the air and crashing into another building, this time a tavern. Pirates staggered about, most yelling, but only a few people really ran for cover...Tortuga had an infamous history, fought over by the Spanish, the French, and the British, and pirates in general are usually unfazed by cannon-fire.

Gibbs, however, was glum as he stared at the tavern, muttering, "Damn." He turned and looked out at the Dauntless as he muttered, "Looks like the East India Company finally got the political approval they needed...there is no haven in the Caribbean for us now."

Suddenly, they heard some shouts in Cantonese and they looked up the side of The Empress, seeing the Chinese pirates looking out across the water, although some of these men were looking down at them, having been alerted by Elizabeth's cry, but now wasn't the time for fighting. At that moment, the heads of Captain Barbossa, Jack the monkey, and Sao Feng appeared over the side, gazing down at Barbossa's crew as Sao sighed and called out, ordering his men to lower the ropes. A few moments later, the longboat was heaved onto the deck of the Chinese warship and the pirates clambered out, glancing around in amazement at the subtle differences.

However, Elizabeth strode over to Sao Feng and asked, "Do you have a spyglass?"

Sao nodded, reaching around to pull it out of a hostler, extending the spyglass to its full length as he held out the eyepiece towards her, smiling as he told her, "I am always prepared, my lady, for whatever should come my way, engagement -wise."

Elizabeth frowned and snatched it away from him before she turned around, lifting it to her eye as she focused the lens on 'The Dauntless' before she sighed and muttered, "It's Norrington...he's in charge of the bombardment. He must have gotten Davy Jones's heart for Lord Beckett to have this honor."

Will slowly nodded, squinting into the darkness as he wondered if he could see the Flying Dutchman sailing towards Tortuga, commanded by the men holding Davy's heart, or if he could see Norrington on the Dauntless...he didn't know what he wanted to attack more, Norrington or the heart. Captain Sao gazed at Elizabeth, then turned away as he commanded his sailors to pull anchor and prepare to sail, to leave before the approaching armada could block the harbor. He turned to face Captain Barbossa, who rubbed his forehead, but then he told his own small crew to help out. Will reluctantly walked away and joned Elizabeth, Gibbs, Marty, Cotton, Pintel and Ragetti as they rushed over to work alongside the Chinese sailors, united by their knowledge of sailing and desperation born of their risk of capture, despite their different languages and cultures. Some of the Chinese sailors, unnoticed by the others, climbed down from the mast and headed over to the stern, to work on an errand that would ensure their safety. Tia Dalma walked over towards the mast, chanting to call upon the wind to speed their departure, but her work was mainly ignored by both crews, they had seen stranger things in their lives. Sao Feng glanced at Barbossa, who met his gaze evenly despite his discomfort.

Sao muttered, "So, you're alive, I suppose by her magic. Tell me, though, why was it necessary? For you to live and then for you all to come here and try to steal my ship, does it have something to do with this Norrington?"

Barbossa sighed and murmured, "A little...have you heard tales about Davy Jones?"

Sao shrugged and replied, "Going back and forth from Hong Kong to the Caribbean, I have heard a few tales. So, it is true...what trouble have you gotten yourself into?"

Barbossa shook his head and told him, "It is not I who is in trouble, but it is Captain Jack Sparrow...we're going to World's End, to bring him back from the threshold of the dead. Not quite certain why they want him back, but I am at their bidding, so I will do their work for now."

Sao chuckled and muttered, "I bet you have a tale to tell, an adventure for me and my crew...you know, you could have just asked, you didn't have to try and steal from your old pal."

Barbossa just explained, "Well, I am a pirate."

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In the distorted desert beyond time and space, Captain Jack Sparrow opened his eyes and blinked, glancing around as he muttered, "Oh, bugger...I saw myself, for a moment, on the beach of that deserted isle. I must be feverish, but this is still real...what is that isle?"

From above, Teague Sparrow replied, "That doesn't matter, it was just your portal to World's End. I mean, I died a few years ago back in England, just outside a pub where I drank myself to death, yet I still have been drawn here, to your ship. I never was on one before in my life...they always looked too flimsy, too small to me, out there in the water, but seeing this monstrosity on land...the view is quite different."

Jack chuckled and remarked, "Never liked to travel...are we even related? Well, then again, perhaps we are...I can never get enough of rum, that probably would have done me in if I wasn't to die on that island."

Teague growled and shouted, "Son, don't tell me ye're giving up! After all ya've been through, after all ye've survived...I never knew of your exploits in life, but I have witnessed them in death and they amazed me! I did nothing with my life, but at least ya sought adventure and freedom, even if it has cursed ye to this...just think! Just think of what ya need, more than anything, and ye can make it out before it's too late."

Jack turned his head and glanced up, surprised by such praise from his father, but he cleared his throat and said, "Well, I'll try, but I can only think of wants...like rum, savvy? Still, even that need of rum is weak. Why is that?"

Teague clapped and cried, "I was wondering when ya would notice! Think, my boy, when did ye first start to drink rum?"

Jack gasped and staggered to his feet as he replied, "All of 13 years ago, not long after...my soul. Is my contract with Davy Jones broken?"

Teague pointed down and yelled, "See for yourrself, the Black Mark is gone! When ya died from the Kraken swallowing ye, the bond was snapped, and even when ya were reborn from the Kraken's blood, the bond never reconnected! Ye have your soul, Jack, that's the one good thing about this awful place...and I see someone coming this way. A man, dead, but he's walking towards us now...I believe he is meant to be here for your sake, Jack."

Jack Sparrow winced and slowly turned around, seeing only a bare shadow in the distance with Teague's high vantage-point lending a better view, as he queried, "What does the man look like?"

From above, he heard Teague exclaim, "A middle-aged man, not much younger than I was when I died...but his status is far better than mine ever was! He's dressed in fine clothes and he's wearing a large wig!"

Jack groaned and whispered, "Governor Swann, Elizabeth's father. Oh, bugger, what could have brought him here?"

Captain Jack Sparrow raced off across the desert, his father Teague watching as he approached Governor Swann and took his hand, leading the man towards the sheltering shadow of the Black Pearl and heard a snippet of conversation.

Governor Weatherby Swann was telling Jack, "...So then Lord Beckett betrayed me, my own cousin, he denounced me and stripped me of my titles, my property, he's now the governor. Then he...he pushed me and my head...it was getting dark. There were these two soldiers, good fellows, I told them to go find my Elizabeth and keep her safe, but my wife Natasha...I saw her, just before I died. She told me a message, powerful words, and I related them to the soldiers so that Elizabeth would know them."

Jack frowned and asked, "Powerful words? Like a spell? What were they for?"

Governor Swann shook his head and answered, "I, I don't really know, and I had to say them so fast, and then there came the shock of my death...I can't remember what I said. Is that your ship? What happened?"

Jack sighed and told him, "It's a long story. I'm not dead, not quite yet, and I have to climb onto the Black Pearl, I think that will get me out of this limbo and back to the living world. However, I...I have to figure out what I need. Still, I suppose I'll get out, and when I do...I'll kill Cutler. He's the cause of everything, of all of my curses, and to do that to you...there is no honor, no reason, it is beyond the crimes of any pirate, it is heartless...rot and corruption of evil, darker than the abyss."

Governor Swann stared at Jack and murmured, "I can't believe...an honorable pirate. I should have known you better in life, Captain Sparrow. If you do get back on your ship, I...I can tie knots. I can hold a sword. I don't know for certain, if I will be a ghost or...or something else when we get out of limbo on your Black Pearl, but I will still try to fight, in whatever form I take."

* * *

**Favorite phrases:** "Well, I am a pirate", Mr. Obvious being Captain Barbossa and, of course, Governor Swann's last little speech. 


	4. To Understand a Man

At this point, I seem to recall that I once heard it was reported, probably on the news or so, that an old Chinese world map had been found, either predating or not too long after Columbus's first trip. I don't know if I may have been mistaken or not, but I'm putting it in here since it suits me. Now, as to the title, sometimes it is hard to understand guys...and it's probably hard for them to understand us. On that note, this will be one of the few times that I have Elizabeth crying in my story.

**Disclaimer:** **Hold on, let me see that contract...are these words? They look like squiggles! Oh, whatever, I'll sign...'I, HelenaHermione, do not own these characters.' There, is that good enough for you?**

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**4. To Understand a Man **

As 'The Empress' sailed away from Tortuga, Captain Sao Feng invited Barbossa and his crew to a meeting down in his quarters, although he also brought along a few of his own pirates as a precaution. Entering the room, the Caribbean pirates glanced around at the array of navigation and astronomical instruments, surprised by the sight of a desk, flanked on both sides by awkward bookcases, covered in books, scrolls, and rolled-up maps. The people squeezed their way into the room, allowing Barbossa, Elizabeth, Tia Dalma, Sao Feng and Gibbs to sit down at the small table while the rest stood or squatted. Marty walked around and glanced at a corner where a cot was squashed into the confines and he sat down, soon joined by Cotton as he settled slowly onto the cot, his parrot squawking and grunting to express the weariness.

Ragetti, cleaning his wooden eye with his stained shirt, wandered over to the desk and opened one of the books, frowning as he queried, "Are these words? They look like squiggles."

Pintel grunted and lightly smacked Ragetti as he responded, "Of course they're words, they're just not _English_ words."

Ragetti blinked and commented, "Huh, I didn't know there was more than one kind."

Will walked up beside Ragetti and Pintel, discussing language, but he ignored them as he gazed at the elaborate map framed above the desk, an unrolled scroll showing the entire spread of the world, though with slight inaccuracies. However, it was the plaque on the frame that intrigued him.

Will glanced over towards Captain Sao and asked, "According to the plaque on the frame, it says that it was made in 1460. Is that right?"

Captain Sao Feng growled and answered, "It's right enough, you may think that your Columbus was the first to see the New World, but such wasn't the case. The old empire of China has been a ruler of its seas for many centuries, the junks sailing from India to Japan and beyond, we made it around the southern tip of South America long before Columbus dreamed of setting sail. We are masters of the seas, we have mapped its regions for many years, and such has been the case when it comes to the Caribbean. Personally, I think that I am carrying on that tradition, though certainly not for the sake of the _Manchu dynasty_...I do not care for the way they run my China, so the Caribbean is the place for me to have my freedom. Of course, I am a reasonable man and I always see fit to make sure that this freedom comes with an advantage to me...now, tell me all that has happened. Tell me of all the adventures and curses, to know all of the facts will aid my decision in whether I shall give my full support in this endeavor."

In turns, Barbossa and the rest told their tales, describing Captain Jack Sparrow and then the latest exploits in the demands of Davy Jones for Jack's soul and the subsequent struggles for Davy's heart. They ended the story by relating how the Kraken swallowed both Jack and the Black Pearl and their own suspicions of Norrington delivering the heart straight to the East India Company.

Tia Dalma spoke last, explaining, "Such is our cause, to rescue Captain Jack Sparrow from World's End, but to do so we must find it first. Captain Barbossa has been there, he told me a little about it when I returned him to the livin' realm, but it is an unsettled place, it shifts to other locations...Barbossa suggested that we should steal your ship. I should have protested, forgive me for doubting that you could help us find it, but I was uncertain and now that I see your instruments, some beyond normal invention...when you gave me that compass, did you make it in the first place?"

Sao Feng nodded and smiled as he replied, "Yes, that I did. The Compass of Want, that was what I called it...from what you tell me, Captain Jack Sparrow used it well, just as I did before I gave it to Dalma, having made my choices. I see you are all surprised, I suppose the rest of you didn't that it had been made by my hands...it is extraordinary, yes, in its powers. You see, the Caribbean isn't the only place of...beauty and curses, of ancient power and violent upheavals, the tropical islands match our beautiful mountains and valleys while the hurricanes match the seasonal flooding of our rivers. World's End, perhaps, doesn't belong in the Caribbean alone...perhaps it is connected to _all_ places, perhaps even to my China. I will help you all, yes, Barbossa and I will together find what you all seek...just remember our _rewards_."

As Barbossa and Sao Feng discussed other matters, Elizabeth sighed and stood up from the table, walking out of the captain's quarters as she felt that she needed some fresh air. Out of the corners of their eyes, the pirates followed her steps, wondering what she felt about their quest for Jack Sparrow when she had doomed him with a kiss, noticing the tilt of her chin and her sharp eyes...Jack had called her 'pirate'. A few moments later, Will set off after her as Ragetti and Pintel glanced at each other.

Ragetti whispered, "Uncle, do you think they're going to argue?"

Pintel shrugged and muttered, "Ah, probably, love's not perfect, especially if it goes downhill."

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On reaching the deck of 'the Empress', Elizabeth walked over to the railing close to the bow, gazing out towards Tortuga, its lights fading away in their wake, yet she knew what was happening there now. The streets would be full of fire and turmoil, even more so than usual since this would be caused by the soldiers rounding up the last remnants of Caribbean pirates, and Norrington would be striding through it all, bitter and angry, his heart cold to the destruction. Suddenly, she heard steps approaching and she slowly turned around, staring at Will.

Will cleared his throat and asked, "What are you doing out here?"

Elizabeth sighed and answered, "Just getting some air, it was cramped down there in Sao Feng's quarters...besides, it was beyond me now, their business. Now, I've answered your question, so I want to know why you followed me. Is it about Jack, what I did to him?"

Will glanced away then and murmured, "I...I don't know what you mean."

Elizabeth frowned and exclaimed, "Don't deny it! I know everyone's looking at me now, trying to analyze my movement, they know that I've...I've turned, I've changed! I never thought that bloody pirates could be so judgmental, like the aristocrats that used to watch me at my father's galas. Will, do you want to know...want to know what surprises me the most?"

Will turned his head and queried, "What?"

Elizabeth weakly smiled, her eyes tearing as she cried, "I don't care! I used to hate it when the aristocrats judged me, but that was different...they were just looking at my facade. The pirates are judging me, now, on my guts because I am one of them now...I'm a pirate! It's just...so strong, the thrill, the confidence...I _don't give a hoot, drink up me hearties, yo-ho! Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me_...and it could be my life! What do you think, Will?"

Will stared at her and replied, "I...Elizabeth, you don't know what you're saying. It's hard, it's accursed, look at what happened to all of those men on the Flying Dutchmen, my own father!"

Elizabeth shook her head and whispered, "Yes, I know that, but to be a pirate is to free yourself from controls, from tyrants. Davy Jones, he's not a pirate, he and Norrington and Beckett...they're the ones that are damning piracy, the ones without a heart or a soul, nothing but cruelty, without a care for freedom. If I do this, if I become a pirate, I can take care of myself, I know how to fight."

Will groaned and muttered, "You can't do this, not really, you were sheltered for so long. If you go out there, if you go into piracy, I'll have to watch your back and even then, I might not be able to take care of you the way that you should be treated. I love you, Elizabeth, I don't want to see you hurt."

Elizabeth frowned and told him, "Will, you can never take me seriously. I'm strong now, stronger than I was when Barbossa captured me, but you can't really see that. All you can see is a lady, the lady that you fell in love with at a distance, riding around in her carriage wearing a corset and a dress. A _damsel in distress_, someone that needed to be saved...you always want to save someone."

Will shook his head, turning his back on her as he shouted, "I'm not like that, Elizabeth, I certainly am no knight in shining armor!"

Elizabeth turned her head toward Tortuga, burning in the distance, as she murmured, "That day when I first met you, when we fished you out of the water after that merchant ship exploded from Barbossa's attack...what did you see then, Will? When you were so young and helpless, how many men were killed in front of you...how many men that you couldn't save because you didn't know how to fight, didn't know how to kill a pirate. You're not a knight, I know...you just don't want any more people to die."

Will said nothing and Elizabeth sighed as she walked off, to head back below-decks, the air had cleared her mind too much. Meanwhile, up at the bow, Will glanced over at several rowboats, a few grouped at this end, and then turned to face Tortuga...he could also imagine Norrington in the midst of its destruction. With such a thought, he glanced around to make sure that none of the Chinese sailors were near, but they were off towards the stern, and so he walked over to a rowboat, to lower it and himself into the water.

As Elizabeth wandered below-decks, feeling exhausted, she suddenly collided with Tia Dalma, who gasped and cried, "Elizabeth! I felt a disturbance up there! I was coming, to make sure that nothing was wrong, where's Will?"

Elizabeth blinked and replied, "I...I just left him, Tia Dalma. I don't know what you mean, but...we were arguing, if that's what you're talking about."

Tia Dalma shook her head and told her, "Words can hurt, Elizabeth, and I fear what can happen in consequence. Stay near, I'm going up to look for Will, I'll try to soften him so that you can apologize...love can't be maintained with just a kiss and sweet words, it is a struggle that two people must cope with if they want to stay together forever."

Elizabeth sighed as Tia Dalma walked off, she was being too dramatic...surely Will wouldn't take such offense, he was reasonable. A few minutes passed and Elizabeth fidgeted, wondering what was taking so long between them, and she started to clench her fists, trying not to think that Dalma could be toying with Will. Suddenly, Tia Dalma returned, followed by Gibbs, Captain Barbossa, and Sao Feng and Elizabeth stared at them, suddenly dreading what they would tell her.

Gibbs sighed and whispered, "Will's nowhere to be found and there's a rowboat missing. We've been talking with Captain Sao Feng and, even though it's against the pirate code, we've convinced him to go back for your Will."

Sao Feng crossed his arms and stated, "If we are to go back to Tortuga, I am not taking any chances. I am docking my ship on the far side of the island, away from the city and from the armada attacking the harbor. My men and I will not leave this ship, you and your friends are responsible for going into town to find your fiancé. I will wait until dawn, then I will sail-if I spot a ship of the East India Company approaching in the distance, I will sail without delay. If any of you are captured or killed, I will not risk my neck any further, I will sail with those that survive to return on time. Go, though I want nothing to do with this business, I will at least wish you all luck...so long as you are sensible and wary to avoid any strangers."

A few moments later, 'The Empress' had reached the far beach of Tortuga and a rowboat dropped into the water to make the long trip back around to the harbor, with Pintel and Ragetti at the oars while Elizabeth, Gibbs, and Cotton sat in silence. They had been chosen for the mission of retrieving Will, being the most inconspicuous members of the pirates, a party mostly made up of old fellows that appeared non-threatening and a young woman. With luck, none of the soldiers in Tortuga would suspect or arrest them on charge of piracy...Elizabeth, in silence, contemplated what had happened. Will knew the risk, it made no sense, why did he leave? Elizabeth stewed, _Will had disappointed her once again._

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_What did she mean, '_once again_'? This'll be explained in a later chapter. _**Favorite phrases: **You can't go wrong with Ragetti and Pintel with such classics as "Huh, I didn't know there was more than one kind" and "love's not perfect, especially if it goes downhill" and Tia Dalma's advice...though I realize she sounds a little like a 'call a psychic'person. 


	5. The Ambush

Sorry it's been so long since I submitted a chapter, I had play rehersals to attend. In any case, here I'm at first going back and forth between Will and Elizabeth in their separate parties before they really get into trouble. Originally, I just had them spotted or so, but here...how did _they _know those pirates were going to be there? I changed the plot to coincide with the intro of another character. Now, the words at the end of this chapter are part of a longer piece of prose, one that will be revealed in its entirety in a later chapter, but I thought it would be suitable to have these first few lines here to reflect on...one or two of the characters.

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own these characters (Does anyone know if I have to put this up with every chapter or was once enough for any monitors?)**

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**5. The Ambush**

Meanwhile, Will had rowed himself into the harbor, slightly surprised at the traffic of small rowboats going in and out from Tortuga, most filled with pirates evacuating. Of course, some of these pirates had seen fit to disguise themselves…he once saw a boat full of 'women' speeding past him. Closer to a dock, he saw another boat, bobbing close by him without even any haste of alarm, manned by a fellow wearing a large straw hat that shadowed his face, but Will almost swore that this man watched his progress. After Will docked, he crept amongst what shadows were available in the streets of Tortuga, with such searing fires illuminating everything this night, careful to avoid the marching troops of soldiers as he slipped down alleyways. Occasionally, he sensed the presence of other pirates following his same route in escape, but he ignored them...they wouldn't, couldn't help him, they would either slip away or be captured. Besides, the sword in his sheath was all he needed tonight, when he should seek out Norrington and sneak up on him...perhaps he had Davy Jones's heart, perhaps he didn't, but then the only reason why the heart had slipped away in the first place was because of Norrington. Suddenly, two figures appeared in front of him, blocking his passage down this alley...he unsheathed his sword and stepped forward, growling.

Will bellowed, "Let me pass if you value your lives, the only blood I want to spill is Norrington's, but that doesn't mean I'll spare you two if you hinder me now!"

One of the figures, Murtogg, raised his hands and cried, "Mr. Turner, please don't hurt us! We're not against you, but it's urgent that you take us to Miss. Swann, she shouldn't be in this mess!"

At that same time, the other rowboat from 'The Empress' had docked at another pier, one of the few that wasn't occupied by an East India naval ship or torched. Pintel and Ragetti would stay with the boat while Gibbs, Elizabeth and Cotton, with the two men flanking the lady on either side, stepped out onto the pier and strode down its length, careful to appear both secure yet meek, maintaining a measured stride without breaking into a panicked run. Elizabeth glanced around, but there weren't any soldiers nearby...they could slip out of the docks and into the town without being spotted as suspiciously coming in. A few moments later, they were making their way across a street, a building burning not far away, to head towards an opportune alleyway.

Meanwhile, Will gasped and lowered the blade of his sword, sheathing it as he murmured, "Oh...yes, I remember you two. I'm sorry for threatening you both, but I'm desperate...no, Elizabeth isn't here, I sort of slipped away from her. She's safe, fellows...she's not in any sort of mess."

Mullroy nodded and said, "Right, Mr. Turner, but I must say that your intent to destroy Norrington is a bit futile at the moment."

Murtogg glanced over and remarked, "Well, if he's really desperate, perhaps he could manage to sneak up and stab him, if he's lucky."

Mullroy shook his head and said, "No, that won't work, he's not desperate enough to try sneaking up on Norrington when he's guarded by 5 soldiers at least."

Murtogg shrugged and countered, "Well, his intent is pretty strong and if he's lucky, he could distract those 5 soldiers and then stab Norrington."

Mullroy sighed in exasperation and exclaimed, "But he's alone, he's slipped away from all of the other pirates, he can't both distract 5 soldiers and stab Norrington all at once! It won't work, no amount of intent is going to make up for such a discrepency of numbers! It's futile, it's just a desperate mess!"

Will rubbed his forehead and yelled, "Alright, alright, I won't do it! Just please stop arguing! Listen, if you two have something urgent to tell Elizabeth, you're going to have to come with me."

Murtogg blinked and queried, "What? You mean join up with you and the other pirates?"

Will glanced around and nodded as he responded, "That's exactly what I mean, if Norrington or anyone finds out that you've been talking to me, you'll both be arrested. It's for the best...Elizabeth's a pirate and you want to protect her? Then be a pirate."

Mullroy shrugged and told him, "Well, alright then...hey! I thought you said Elizabeth wasn't here!"

Will blinked and suddenly collapsed, conked on the head by Gibbs with the hilt of his sword. Gibbs, Cotton, and Elizabeth caught Will before he could fall on the ground while Cotton's parrot squawked, "Heavier than bags of gold!"

Murtogg and Mullroy gasped at each other, then rushed forward to help pick up Will while Elizabeth stepped back, gazing at the two soldiers as she asked, "What are you two doing here?"

Murtogg grimaced and, struggling with Will, managed to say, "Miss Swann, we...we regret to say...your father, miss."

Elizabeth paled and faltered, gasping like she was wearing a corset again as she murmured, "No...he was so healthy, when last I saw him."

Mullroy lifted up Will's feet as he shook his head and explained, "No, Miss. Elizabeth, it wasn't anything like sickness, it was...your father was stripped of all of his titles and property, by Lord Beckett. Then, when he was protesting against this betrayal, when he had signed the deployment form for the East India Company with Beckett's supposed promise that you would be safe...Beckett shoved him when he was so unsteady."

Gibbs shook his head while Elizabeth clenched her fists, her eyes tearing as she stared out into the night, Tortuga blazing as she muttered, "To knock my father down, at his weakest...that's the way of Beckett indeed. How long ago, does anyone else know that Cutler did this to my father?"

They finally started to walk, with Will as their burden, as Murtogg replied, "It was a couple days ago or so, just before we set sail to here. They knew that your father had died, but Cutler Beckett just told everyone that your father had a stroke or something, it was just us and them when the incident occurred. He had some final words especially for you, Elizabeth, we remembered them...do you want to hear them now?"

Elizabeth was about to reply as they staggered out of the alley, the unconscious Will hefted by Murtogg and Mullroy, when suddenly they were surrounded by 10 soldiers and Norrington stepping forward from their midst, smiling.

Cotton's parrot squawked, "Peaceful men, no harm!"

Norrington rolled his eyes as he glanced over at Cotton and his parrot, both of whom were glaring, and he remarked, "That's laughable, you're a pirate if ever I saw one...one that ran astray of harsher punishment in the Indian Ocean. I must say, the talking parrot suits you."

Cotton puffed out his chest and stepped forward, hissing or grunting, but Gibbs grabbed his arm and pulled the old man back, muttering, "You're a fine fighting man, Cotton, but now is neither the time nor the place."

Norrington gasped and exclaimed, "Joshamee Gibbs! This is certainly a cabal of traitors, you were once a sailor under my own command and now you're a pirate! What about these other two soldiers, new recruits?"

Lieutenant Gillette nodded and whispered, "They're screw-ups, Mullroy and Murtogg, cowards...the sort of failures that retreat into piracy."

Gibbs frowned and yelled, "No pirate is a failure, if anything, the system failed us! I was court-martialed and left with nothing!"

Norrington growled and cried, "You were court-martialed for drunkenness on duty! A failure!"

Gibbs inhaled and told him, "I may have been a failure back then, but when I came to Tortuga, I was welcomed and was given...a form of comfort until I came into my own, until I realized that a pirate's life was for me. And I love it."

Norrington cleared his throat and adjusted the collar of his shirt as he murmured, "Well, be that as it may, the pirate life has done you no good...you're all going to be arrested. Lieutenant Gilette, you may step forward and unburden Mullroy and Murtogg of Mr. Will Turner and restrain him before he can become unconscious, to make things easier for us."

Gilette nodded and was about to step forward when suddenly, Elizabeth cried, "Stop! Commo-Admiral Norrington, you may disdain us for our lawless life, but look well to the company that you keep, for they have performed blacker deeds."

Norrington sighed and told her, "My dear Elizabeth, I do not know what you mean, but I still cannot be lenient with you, or your friends for that matter. I am sorry that your Will has done you wrong, bringing you into this mess and then failing to defend you now at your darkest hour. If you had been more prudent in the beginning, and had not fallen in love with a pirate, then perhaps we both would have had a happier fate...together. Yet it has come to this, Elizabeth, and I dread it."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes and explained, "I do not ask for your mercy, Norrington, for I know you do not have enough of that. No, I ask you to release us because we are the only ones who know that true injustice has been done by Lord Beckett, the man that you serve in his evil ways."

Gilette frowned and unsheathed his sword, but Norrington held up his hand, staring at Elizabeth as he queried, "What do you mean? What did Beckett do?"

Elizabeth stepped forward toward Norrington, gulping as she stared at him and shakily responded, "He betrayed my father, Governor Weatherby Swann, the good man that you loyally served for so many years. When Beckett told you that my father had died from a stroke, did you not think to question the cause? To you, my father may have been weak in his ways, but he was as healthy as an ox and everyone knew that for certain, especially you. How could he have died so suddenly, without any visible strain or sickness in the days before?"

Gilette glanced away, sheathing his sword as Norrington cleared his throat and replied, "He...he was overworked a little, you had run off and there was so much to be done..."

Elizabeth shook her head and muttered, "Excuses, Norrington, that's all that you're babbling, excuses. My father was the one that championed your rise in the ranks, that advocated your policies, he was the one that allowed you to court me and then, when you became a commodore, gave you a sword...your sword, the one that even now is in your sheath. How much blood is on that sword this evening, doing the work that my father's murderer asked you to do?"

Norrington gaped at her, then lowered his head as he said, "Oh, Elizabeth...I cannot begin to make amends for this. I came to the Caribbean so many years ago, to find renown and honor by serving my country...but this, the place of paradise that brought me close to you, is so full of greed and rot that no man can escape it. We will not arrest any ally of Elizabeth, not tonight."

Elizabeth nodded and waved as her little group walked past the crowd of soldiers, both sides uncomfortable as they shifted away from each other, while they made their way out to the dock where they had left Raggeti and Pintel in the rowboat. However, the dock was also occupied by another small rowboat, occupied by a man in a large straw hat who was now talking across to the pair.

As the group walked down the dock toward these small boats, Pintel waved and cried, "Hello, fellows, look who's here!"

The man in the straw hat turned and Gibbs gasped as he exclaimed, "Anamaria!"

Anamaria smiled and said, "Hello, Gibbs, Elizabeth, Cotton! I wish we could have met again under better circumstances, but I've just lost my new ship in this invasion and most of my crew was arrested, probably to tattle under torture. Well, I'm aimless now, but I've been talking to this odd pair here for the last few minutes and they've told me a little about what's going on. So, my big sister and Barbossa is sailing with you all? To bring Jack back?"

Elizabeth blinked, surprised to hear that Tia Dalma was Anamaria's sister, especially considering Jack...but she nodded and asked, "Will you join us? We've also got these two new fellows, Mullroy and Murtogg, coming with us."

Anamaria thought for a minute, then nodded as she told her, "Yes, it's for the best that I should come, especially if it should be to my advantage. Here, I'll get into the other boat with Gibbs and Cotton, you and the soldiers and Will can take my boat. We better hurry if we want to reach that Chinese ship, dawn's coming soon."

The switch-off was made and the two little rowboats set off into the water, with the boat with Anamaria, Gibbs, Cotton and Pintel and Raggeti rowing in the lead, while the smaller boat with Elizabeth, the unconscious Will, and the two soldiers rowing in the rear. As they took their post at the oars, Mullroy and Murtogg managed to relate to Elizabeth the full circumstances of her father's death and told her his final words, word for word, a recitation that sounded like a strange, potent poem, supposedly from beyond the grave and from Natasha Swann.

Elizabeth listened in silence, staring out at the water and the burning flames of Tortuga and, bringing to mind the first lines of her father's prose, she murmured,

"_Poor wandering spirit, _

_Though thou hast surely strayed_

_In blood water..._"

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**Favorite phrases:** the argument between Murtogg and Mullroy was especially good, like the one from the beginning of CotBP, and I also like how I related Gibbs' history and how he just admitted that he loved the pirate life. I also prefer, of course, these last lines because they so aptly describe Norrington and what he has done in the past, but of course this isn't all of it-but that's for later again. 


	6. Treacherous Waters

Here is a chapter with all three elements, World's End, Jack's old crew and Elizabeth, and the villains to boot. I kind of like the way that Weatherby and Teague sort of team up together here, as well as the pairs of Pintel and Ragetti guiding Mullroy and Murtogg in the ways of pirarcy...good luck with that. This is all where we get into the 'treacherous waters', as promised in the plot on IMDb, and where we finally have Norrington take the initiative for some good.**  
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**Disclaimer:**** I do not own these characters (though the two comic pairs are funny-Pintel and Mullroy as the oldest and supposedly the wisest, yet Ragetti and Murtogg as a few years younger and, though slightly naive, with some odd wisdom)**

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**6. Treacherous Waters**

Captain Jack Sparrow, lying in the sand, mumbled to himself and rolled over, scratching at the sand as he tried to reach out...suddenly his eyes opened and he blinked, spitting out sand as he wondered what had wakened him up. He heard laughter and sat up, frowning to himself as he turned to glance behind him, to where Governor Weatherby Swann was standing, gazing up at Teague Sparrow and chuckling at their conversation.

Jack rolled his eyes and stood up, approaching them as he heard his father Teague tell Weatherby, "...soon after that, the parish teacher came to me house and at the time I was sober enough to understand what Jack had done wrong this time. It seems that me little boy had managed to trick another boy into giving him his lunch pail! Ah, I gave Jack a little wallop to look good for the teacher, but it was a clever little scheme for his age and, even then, I started wondering what might happen to him if he grew too big for our village. I had a feeling that if he became too confident in his cleverness, he might be an idiot, if ya know what I mean, guv'ner."

Jack groaned and yelled, "Bugger it, father! Keep your stories to yourself, Mr. Swann doesn't want to hear any of that!

Mr. Swann chuckled and then cleared his throat, shaking his head as he exclaimed, "Oh, Jack, there's no need to condemn your father! I liked his stories, quite pleasant in this grim place, and it made a lot of sense to me, in understanding you...especially that one about your first kiss."

Jack rubbed his forehead and muttered, "Please don't say another word, Mr. Swann, that story is neither here nor now, it's not the opportune time to bring up...such humiliating memories."

Weatherby Swann grinned and patted Jack on the back, who was startled by the friendliness, and explained, "Oh, they're not that humiliating, Jack. Actually, some of them even reminded me of a few stories of my daughter. There was this awful song that she used to sing a few years ago, when she was 12...she learned it at the docks, of all places! I don't even know how she wound up there in the first place, a young girl!"

Captain Jack Sparrow blinked and asked, "Was it the one with 'Drink up me hearties, yo-ho'?"

Mr. Swann slowly nodded, turning to stare at Jack as he murmured, "Yes, that's exactly the one, as I recall...how did you learn about it?"

Up above, Teague Sparrow sensed the tension and bellowed, "All right, me son Jack, let's try this again! What do you need?"

Jack breathed a sigh of relief, almost content with this endless, unanswered question as he stated, "First of all, you are implying that a need is not a want...therefore, a need comes from within and not from external forces, right?"

Teague shrugged and answered, "Right enough, I suppose. Now go on, what's your need, what's your right leverage?"

Jack inhaled and shook himself, stretching out his arms as he muttered, "I, Captain Jack Sparrow and none other, need...soap. Honestly."

Mr. Swann nodded and took a step back, but Teague groaned and yelled, "Quit messing around!"

Jack looked up and squinted as he shouted, "I need to be heard! I need to be heeded, I need to be obeyed, I need to be understood, I need...to be a captain! That's not an external force, that comes truly from within!"

Teague slumped up against the rail, banging his head slightly as he cried, "No, for none of that, you're thinking about this the wrong way! It is a need for ya, Jack, yes, but ye already have it! Maybe I'm phrasing this wrong...what do ya need that's missing, missing from your life, maybe something ye once had or maybe something ye never had? Can ya think of anything?"

Jack cleared his throat and murmured, "You're going to have to get back to me on that, father, I...I have to think this through."

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun was starting to rise now, but Captain Sao Feng had his telescope focused out across the water, to where two rowboats were approaching, and he was willing to wait a few more minutes for the stragglers. Nearby, Marty was standing on tiptoe to gaze out over the rail while Captain Barbossa and Tia Dalma stood next to him. Barbossa was leaning forward in a relaxed position, with Jack the monkey on his shoulder, while Dalma stood tall and straight, her hand shading her eyes as she stared out.

Barbossa turned his head and muttered, "Relax, Tia Dalma, they're coming back and then we can get on our way again, all the way to World's End. We've had a rough start, certainly, but the tide and the winds will be with us when we leave with our companions returned...we can outrun any more trouble and be there in time to save Jack, just like you want."

Jack the monkey chattered and glanced up at Barbossa while Dalma sighed and lectured, "Ah, can things be so simple in the Caribbean? I cannot say for certain, but I fear there may be more troubles ahead of us...there's something in the air, I sense, some fury bent upon us. That can disturb us, yes, but there's something else going on...I don't know where it comes from, or from whom, but I fear that the waters between here and World's End are about to become more treacherous."

Captain Barbossa shifted and said nothing, scratching Jack the monkey under the chin while nearby, Captain Sao Feng chatted in Cantonese with another sailor, who had just come forward from the stern with a few of his fellow sailors following close behind. This sailor, and the one standing next to him, both had a wet oar tucked under their arms, and finally the captain nodded and waved these men away. At that moment, the two rowboats reached the bow of the Chinese warship and ropes were dropped down, to be tied onto the boats so that they could be hoisted up. A few minutes later, the stragglers stepped onto the deck, Mullroy, Murtogg, and Anamaria glancing around in awe while Will rubbed the back of his head, wincing, he had regained consciousness just as the boat was being hoisted out of the water. Elizabeth stood beside him, patting him on the back as she sighed, wishing that he could hug her or kiss her or say something...but he was still out of it and he knew, sensed nothing of her grief. Gibbs, Cotton, Pintel and Ragetti were chatting with Marty and Barbossa while Anamaria and Tia Dalma finally spotted each other in the crowd and slowly approached each other.

Anamaria halted and murmured, "Dalma."

Tia Dalma nodded and murmured, "Little Anamaria."

Anamaria frowned and muttered, "I'm not little."

Dalma nodded and said, "I know...you're older, but still just as reckless, just as stubborn in your ways."

Anamaria tilted her chin and told her, "Maybe, maybe I've grown too unreliable as a pirate, too wild, but you...I don't like your work, you know. What did you do to Jack and now what are you doing with Barbossa, that traitor?"

Tia Dalma sighed and murmured, "Anamaria...I apologize for what happened with Jack, but we both moved on from each other, in our own ways. Anything we had, then, wasn't worth the sacrifice of my relationship with you, dear sister. As for Barbossa, he's changed in his ways, I gave him a new chance at life and now he's going to help us bring Jack back."

Anamaria shook her head and sighed as she whispered, "I'm afraid it might be too late, Dalma...for your apology, for Barbossa to change, for Jack to return."

Tia Dalma stared at Anamaria, but could think of nothing to say, while nearby, Captain Barbossa frowned at Mullroy and Murtogg, who were quelled at the sight of him.

Barbossa crossed his arms and queried, "You two soldiers want to be pirates? Truly and without an ounce of hesitation, without fear of what it would mean to swear into such a lawless life, without a likely chance of reward and with a likely chance of capture?"

Mullroy and Murtogg glanced at each other, then they slowly turned to face Captain Barbossa as they both murmured, "Yes, sir."

Barbossa grunted and glared at them as he muttered, "Pintel, Ragetti, you two will be in charge of training these fine men. Make sure they learn what it really means to be a pirate."

Barbossa turned aside and strode away while Pintel stepped forward, frowning at Mullroy, who staggered back slightly, while Murtogg tried not to stare at Ragetti's wooden eye.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was hours later with the afternoon well advanced when two ships entered the harbor and Admiral Norrington hurried over to the docks, trying to adjust his wig as he grimaced, wishing that he had been given more warning, more time to sleep possibly. One was the head ship of the East India Company, _The Spear_, commanded by Lord Beckett and Commodore Smith while the other was _The Flying Dutchmen_, the latter causing Norrington to shiver. As the two ships docked on either side of a pier, Norrington strode down its length, accompanied by Lieutenant Gilette, trying to maintain an imposing figure while restraining the echo of Elizabeth's words in his mind.

He paused near the end and bowed to _The Spear_ as Lord Cutler Beckett marched down its gangplank, glancing towards Tortuga as he muttered, "Well, my good fellow, it looks like you gave that place a thorough thrashing, congratulations. So tell me, did you capture many pirates?"

Norrington slowly nodded and replied, "Quite a few, some have already sworn to give up piracy, though others still resist. Naturally, some wouldn't surrender and, despite our best efforts, a few small boats did slip out. We're not entirely familiar with the terrain of the island, its currents, or its waterways, despite our old records."

Lord Beckett sighed and queried, "What about the former crew of Captain Jack Sparrow, was there any sign of them?"

Norrington cleared his throat and responded, "You understand, the likelihood of them being here in the first place was slim and..."

From behind Norrington, he heard a slithering voice, pained yet powerful, yell out, "There's a lie to that if ever I heard one!"

Norrington turned around and gulped, staring at the hideous face of Davy Jones standing at the rail of his ship, the tentacles slightly drooping and the face drawn tightly while his crew huddled behind him, nervously gazing at _The Spear_ and Lord Beckett.

Beckett nodded and smiled, turning his head slightly to glance at Commodore Smith, standing a good distance away and holding Davy's heart high, before the lord glanced back to Norrington to ask, "Did you meet them?"

Norrington sighed and answered, "My informant told me about their arrival and so I trapped them, just a few of their number, but Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann were among them, yet...I let them go."

Lord Beckett shook his head and murmured, "Ah, Norrington, you got too sentimental...we will now have to go through the trouble of tracking them. Did your informant give you any hint about where they were going?"

Norrington replied, "Not much of a hint, probably as a precaution or perhaps even because of ignorance, but there will be a beacon on their ship, the informant promised that much, an unusual one that will be visible for miles around."

Beckett grinned and whispered, "Excellent, we have that much in our favor. Norrington, you are hereby stripped of your admiralty, I will allow you to be the commodore still of _The Dauntless_, but now Smith will be Admiral..._The Spear_ and _The Flying Dutchmen_ will be traveling with you from now on in your armada. Will many of the ships have to be left behind?"

Norrington nodded and told him, "Quite a few of the original 10, possibly 6 to secure Tortuga as a base and to patrol the surrounding islands, but 6 will be more than enough to go after Will and the rest...unless Admiral Smith disagrees?"

Admiral Smith shook his head, lowering Davy's heart as Davy Jones winced and muttered, "No, Lord Beckett, there are no qualms from my ship either."

Lord Beckett waved at Davy and motioned for Norrington and Lieutenant Gilette to step abroad _The Spear_ and the two men slowly walked up the gangplank as Norrington paused, to glance back at _The Flying Dutchman_. Davy Jones and his crew, all forlorn souls, stared across at him as Norrington shuddered, imaging what it must feel like for Davy...he was the sea, untamed and merciless without his heart, yet the power had been too formidable in that vessel. With Beckett in possession of that heart, the Sea Titan known as Davy was bound, unable to shake loose from that control tearing away at his existence, crushing his spirit. Even though Davy's crew were his prisoners, they empathized with their captain now as he did with their situation...all of the beings of _The Flying Dutchman_ were now truly cursed and Norrington knew that he didn't such damnation to be his fate either. Commodore Norrington, his hand now resting at the hilt of the sword given to him by Governor Swann, turned and strode up the gangplank, resolved to wait for the opportune moment.

* * *

**Favorite phrases: **The exchange where Jack learns about where Liz learned our favorite song, and where Weatherby gives him an odd look...as well as Jack's attempt at his need and Teague's definition afterwards. I also like Dalma's speech about the treacherous waters and, as most of you have figured out, there are several suspects...and the first impressions of Murtogg and Mullroy with Pintel and Ragetti. I also like how Norrington takes one of Jack's phrases and makes it his own at the end of this chapter. 


	7. A Duel and Liar's Dice

Ah, I've been away at Disney World for awhile, but I'm back to finish posting this up here and, on IMDb, I'll soon be going on with my version of POTC 4. Anyway, we're going to move away from Norrington for awhile and back to the others, with some action and with some serious drama on the storylines of Elizabeth and Davy Jones. (Plus a little piracy lesson, and some character background, to the 2 comic pairs.) At this point, I still hadn't exactly figured out where World's End was, but the direction was very good...very strange. (Another thing...I just improvised the Liar's Dice game based on what supposedly was the basis of the set-up, I don't know if it's right technical or what.)

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own them...I suppose this is the last time I'll have to put this down.  
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**7. A Duel and Liar's Dice**

Around that time, Elizabeth grew restless and woke up, mumbling to herself as she rubbed her eyes, carefully shifting in her hammock as she glanced down at Will, who was soundly sleeping beneath her, though he was frowning. She sighed, wondering what sort of nightmares were bothering him...so much had grown wrong in his life when he was so young and now, years later, she certainly wasn't helping matters, worrying him with her unsettled nature. Elizabeth carefully leapt down, landing with a soft tread so as not to disturb Will, glancing down at him again as she guiltily thought that he looked too innocent, especially with the dim echo of the poem from her dying father, those powerful words, in her mind. She looked away and walked up the aisle, passing by more of her sleeping companions as she stepped out into a below-decks hallway, following the length of the hull with the quarters for the captain, the other Chinese sailors, and the holding bays of the cannons. There was also a ladder close by, leading down to another deck where they probably had long oars propped and ready, should the wind fade, but instead she headed up to the deck at the bow entrance, blinking in the bright sunlight as she glanced around.

Nearby, Mullroy and Murtogg were sitting on some crates, listening intently as Pintel told them, "Now, you've got to understand that the Pirate Code isn't quite so strict as naval codes, it's more like...what's the word?"

Ragetti raised his hand and replied, "Guidelines, uncle, that's what it is. Oh, and another word you should know...it's a French one or something."

Pintel growled and yelled, "Don't mention parley to them!"

Murtogg glanced back and forth between them and asked, "Wait a minute here...Pintel, are you really Ragetti's uncle?"

Pintel slowly nodded and answered, "That I am, my poor sister...she was wild, wouldn't stay at home or mind our parents. Got into trouble, you know, and Ragetti was born...with an eye missing, unfortunately. I've been minding him for many years now, at home and out here in the Caribbean."

Mullroy sighed and murmured, "That's a decent thing, you two sticking together for so long, we just figured you were just old buddies. Now me and Murtogg here, we met back in basic training, and I always thought of myself as a big brother to this fellow here."

Elizabeth smiled to herself as the 4 fellows went back to their pirate lesson; it would certainly suit them if they became friends. She turned her head and blinked, surprised to see Tia Dalma walking over to her, motioning her to sit down at another bunch of crates gathered a short distance away from everyone else. Elizabeth slowly nodded, slowly walking over to Dalma since she couldn't avoid her and so the two women sat down on the crates, stiff as they stared at each other, uncertain who would speak first.

Tia Dalma cleared her throat and said, "Elizabeth, those soldiers told me about what happened to your father, I'm so sorry. They told me that there were some words...I thought it decent to ask you personally about their nature."

Elizabeth inhaled deeply and told Dalma about last night and then about the words, reciting a few lines until Dalma raised her hand and murmured, "That's enough, Elizabeth. They're too powerful and it's best to be cautious, to let the spell be unsaid until it's time."

Elizabeth groaned and told her, "Well, in any case, they pertain to a personal nature and I'm worried whether...whether or not I can say them. When it's time. I mean, if I do say them, do...do I have to mean it, every single word?"

Tia Dalma slowly nodded and replied, "Yes, you do have to mean every word...this is not to be taken lightly, so many lives hang in the balance. The poem must either be said or not said, and whatever shall come of the choice shall come. You do not have to feel obliged to speak, Elizabeth, your soul must be true with feeling or else the power can go awry."

Elizabeth turned her head, gazing out across the water...she could not think, she wished that she had Jack's compass to guide her to a choice. Her thoughts were interrupted then, however, as she heard Captain Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng arguing...all in Cantonese.

Elizabeth wiped her eyes and cleared her throat, muttering, "Barbossa knows how to speak Cantonese? What other surprises lurk within him?"

Tia Dalma sighed and muttered, "That is a thing to wonder, perhaps a dark wonder in the end."

In any case, Captain Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng appeared to be arguing, both with one hand each resting on the wheel as Barbossa gestured east just as Sao shook his head and started to turn the wheel in the other direction, west. At that point, Barbossa growled and unsheathed his sword as he harshly muttered something in Cantonese, an insult. Sao shook his head and unsheathed his own sword as the Chinese sailors and a few members of the Caribbean pirates stepped forward, grouping around the duelers as Jack the monkey shrieked, clapping his hands.

Sao Feng shook his head and called, "You know you won't win, Barbossa!"

Captain Barbossa grinned and shouted, "Ah, this isn't serious, Sao, I know it would be too complicated. Tell you want, the man who nicks the other first will be the one to decide our direction."

Captain Sao nodded and yelled, "You're on!"

The two pirate captains commenced their duel, their crews urging them on while Pintel lectured to Mullroy and Murtogg, pointing out the anything-goes style of pirate dueling. Barbossa was all bravado in his attack, heavy slashing and force, while Sao Feng was smooth in defense, dodging and side-stepping as he attempted to pierce a beep in the wall. Suddenly, Sao slid in a puddle and he cried out as Barbossa slashed out and the Caribbean crew gasped in horror...the heavy stroke tore into Sao's side, life-blood was spilling.

Sao Feng staggered, managing to steady his stance as he blinked, glancing down at his side as he remarked, "Ah, shame. It's always hardest when it comes to the chest area."

The Chinese sailors nodded, chatting with each other as Elizabeth cried, "How can you be so calm? Somebody, get some bandages!"

Ragetti was about to run off to do so, but Sao Feng raised his hand and told them, "There is no need for concern, lady Elizabeth. In fact, it is the perfect chance for me to demonstrate...our blessing."

With that, Sao Feng placed his hand against his side and murmured, chanting as he rubbed the wound, the blood halting in its flow while flesh formed, sealing the wound as Sao grimaced, finally sighing when the process was completed.

Elizabeth and the other pirates had gaped at the sight, though Barbossa had just watched the demonstration indifferently, being familiar with Sao's ways, while Tia Dalma nodded and commented, "Ah, that is very useful. Did you receive that blessing before you left China?"

Sao Feng smiled and replied, "Yes, my sailors and I received this blessing from a venerable old woman, who practiced her art at the harbor of Hong Kong. All of our wounds can regenerate, even in the heat of battle, and so we are very hard to defeat, nearly invincible. Of course, it's certainly not as powerful as the...curse that once possessed Barbossa and his old crew. Blessings and curses, in their way, are actually hard to discern...I was cursed to be born in poverty, to be ruled by a dynasty unkind to the general empire. Yet from that, I was blessed with the urge to leave, to come here to the Caribbean...here, I am blessed in my endeavors, in my business dealings of great profit. My friends, I have been blessed as well to meet such fine people as you all...I am sure we shall enjoy smooth sailing to World's End. Barbossa, you may take the wheel, and we'll head...east."

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

Miles behind them, Greenbeard pointed and said, "The residue from the informant's beacon is very distinct, they're turning that way."

Davy Jones, standing beside Koleniko at the wheel, slowly nodded and Koleniko turned the wheel as Palifico turned to glance at his captain, slightly concerned about Davy's tense silence. Still, Davy turned away and strode off toward the stern as Palifico shrugged and return to his boastful conversation with Maccus and Ogilvey. The Twins, mopping the deck, glanced up as the captain passed by them, but then they quickly averted their eyes and returned to their task since Jimmylegs was overseeing them, toying with his whip. Wheelback, sitting on the steps leading below-decks, rocked slightly as he babbled, ignored by Quittance, Clanker, Penrod and Hadras as they played Liar's Dice, so absorbed in the game that they didn't hear the approach of Davy Jones. In fact, the only warning they had was that Wheelback suddenly quieted and they paused, stopping the shaking of their cans as they carefully placed the cans and dice on the table before turning around.

Davy Jones stood over them, gazing down as he asked, "Mind if I join a game?"

The crewmembers shook their heads and Clanker stepped out of the game, allowing Davy Jones to take his spot. With this new player, they started shaking their dice again before slamming them down, glancing at each other, but Davy didn't seem serious.

As the fellows started to call out numbers, Davy glanced out towards the ocean, to see the sunset approaching in its glory. He couldn't begin to describe the feeling it stirred in him, the fire of the sun dipping down into the water, quenching the flames to the tranquility of twilight and the moon.

Davy Jones sighed and muttered, "Two sixes."

Suddenly, Hadras frowned and lifted his head, staring at Davy as he murmured, "Liar."

The crewmembers froze, their tongues stuck as Davy turned, gazing at Hadras as he queried, "What are you willing to bet on that?"

Hadras rubbed his conch-head before he finally responded, "All of the years left on my sentence...about 80 years, I believe."

Davy Jones nodded and said, "You're on."

The dice were revealed...and Davy was the liar. Hadras grinned and closed his eyes as he faded, water dripping off of him as he turned into slush. Quittance and Penrod gaped at the mess, the empty space, while Clanker rushed forward to claim the space. A new game began, the dice stirred and then stilled, the unnatural crew staring at each other with a sneer.

Davy chuckled and yelled, "Four threes!"

Penrod jumped up and cried, "Liar! And I bet all of my years left, 60 in all!"

Such proved to be the case and as Penrod faded, Davy Jones closed his eyes and sighed, wishing that he could go just like that, to a peace, to an abyss. For he now knew how they felt, to be trapped like them with his heart clenched so tightly, but he could give them their release now even if he couldn't have it in turn. Quittance and Clanker soon followed suit, as did the Twins running away from the whip of Jimmylegs, who hesitated when he witnessed the scene.

Davy Jones gestured and told him, "Please, Jimmylegs, sit down and let's play a nice game. Do you want some peace?"

Jimmylegs stared down at his whip...and then laid it aside, sitting down at the table as Davy murmured, "Grand."

After that, Wheelback came forward, rational enough now so that he was able to say "Liar", but surprisingly it was even harder to convince Palifico, Maccus, and Ogilvey to play. Still, even they were weary of fighting and so they sat down while Greenbeard and Koleniko, after making sure that _The Flying Dutchman_ would remain on course, started trudging forward.

Of course, it was hard to make progress when the deck was drenched with water and ancient flotsam, and when they sat down, Koleniko couldn't help asking, "What about Beckett? What do you think he'll do to your heart, when he finds that you've surrendered your crew?"

Davy shook his head and answered, "Never mind that, I'll take care of that business. You won't have to worry about that, wherever you're going."

Once they were gone, the sun had finally set by then and Davy Jones sat back, sighing softly as he thought that he was all alone...suddenly he froze, blinking as he shook his head, his tentacles wobbling. He stood up and tried to recall where the lantern was belowdecks and once he remembered that, he strode off, walking down the stairs that Wheelback had been sitting on before. Davy soon reached the below-deck corridor, barnacled by Wyvern, who was even now talking to Bootstrap Bill until they heard Davy's approach.

As they lapsed into silence, Davy bellowed, "Come on, get up there! Let's play a good old game of Liar's Dice!"

Bootstrap Bill shook his head, sighing as he told him, "I would if I could, I know what you've been doing these last few hours...but I lost my last game to you. I'm stuck with you for eternity, for no game of Liar's Dice can take away the years of eternity. As for Wyvern, he certainly can't play, he's an integral part of the ship, how can he even hold or shake the dice?"

Davy Jones lowered his head and whispered, "Ah...sorry. That's all I can say. Go on with your business, or whatever you want, I'll...I'll be in my quarters, I suppose. The only beauty left to my existence, or whatever you call this, is my music...go out into the fresh air, Bill. It's a fine evening, one that I would have enjoyed if I had my heart inside me."

* * *

**Favorite phrase:** "That is a thing to wonder, perhaps a dark wonder in the end." and then "Blessings and curses, in their way, are actually hard to discern..." 


	8. Arrivals and Approaches

Ah, here we find out what happened to the crew of Davy Jones in the afterlife and where _The Empress_ ends up for their first stop. By this point, I probably still had no clue exactly where Jack was, just a deserted island, and I had no idea about the exact time period. However, we had been reading the first part of 'Paradise Lost' in English and, being slightly familiar to the general history of piracy, I figured that it was late 1690s or early 1700s, after 'Paradise Lost' had been published. Now, I don't know for sure if the book had gained much renown by this time, now it's considered one of the greatest works of English literature yet Milton himself had once come close to execution for his political alliance during the English Civil War, so I just assumed that it was still early enough for not everyone to recognize the masterpiece.

Sorry about the long explanation...okay, still going on with the history lesson, there is the beginning with Jack's censure of tea-and his reaction as a hypocrite when it comes to rum. Anyway, I thought it suited the story for _The Empress _to end it up where it did and the next chapter, and probably the one after that, will mainly take place on that island...it's a very important island, so keep your eyes open for the tests that just about every person is going to face, challenging their viewpoints, their dependencies, their beliefs and their alliances. **  
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* * *

**8. Arrivals and Approaches**

Weatherby Swann bent down and shook Jack as he murmured, "Come on, fellow, wake up. You've been asleep for too long...I hope it's not getting worse."

Captain Jack Sparrow grumbled as he sat up and told him, "Bugger, you may be right, Swann. I was back on that beach and my fever...my hunger, my thirst. I grabbed my effects and managed to crawl up the beach, toward a rocky area, but there was some sort of grass there...I ate some before I fell back into my fever, to this desert. With luck, that grass might keep me alive for awhile longer. Say, what if all I needed was a nice cup of tea? That would suit you fellows, would it not?"

From above, Teague Sparrow yelled, "It's not tea you need, Jack!"

Jack nodded and shouted, "Of course it's not tea, it's never tea, no one really needs tea! Yet tea's doomed people to slavery in other regions and has made the East India Company a force to be reckoned with, why should we contend with all of that when we could just dump tea for good? It's too addictive."

Governor Swann rubbed his forehead and murmured, "While we're at it, why does the world need rum? The same argument could apply for rum as it does for tea."

Jack growled and bellowed, "Don't you dare touch rum! I may not need it, but I still enjoy it!"

Suddenly, Teague cried out, "Stop your bellyaching, me son! There's more fellows coming our way right now and they look like proper sailors!"

Jack blinked and muttered, "Oh...more men. What is it about this place? We can't even board ship yet, but fellows are coming for jobs, it's a mess."

Mr. Swann shrugged and remarked, "I don't know, it's just the 3 of us with your father and if we were to leave World's End on your ship, we would need more men. These sailors have already passed on and...and perhaps they still want to be useful or so. Well, here they are. Hello! Um...welcome, welcome, you all can just sit down and rest a bit, I'm sure you're all a little...staggered by your deaths. Does anyone want...to say anything?"

The 14 men, of various appearances and fashions with one small man, had already seated themselves on the sand, gathered in a circle around Governor Swann and Jack while above, Teague was leaning over the rail to get a good view of this gathering. With Swann's last words, one of the fellows stood up, a Chinese sailor dressed in a style slightly different from Sao, and took a stance, staring at Jack while the Caribbean pirate shifted, uncertain of this stranger.

At last, the Chinese sailor said, "Well, I certainly never expected to see you here...though perhaps it's suitable. Then again, neither I nor the others know where here exactly is and there was only your ship for a landmark, so we came, we hold no personal grudge against you, but we want to know what scheme you're doing now, Jack Sparrow."

Jack cleared his throat and asked, "Do...I know you?"

The Chinese sailor smiled and exclaimed, "You don't recognize me! Probably because I'm fully human again! It's strange, how we returned to our original forms when we arrived...here, I'll give you a hint to my identity."

The Chinese sailor staggered about, his whole body moving but his head stationary as he sort of shouted, "Left! Right! No, body, your head's over here!"

Jack gasped and roared, "Isla Cruces! You had a conch shell for a head and it fell off! You were one of Davy Jones's crew! Oh my...these others, they're a part of Davy's crew? Why are you all here and...what about Bootstrap?"

In turns, the former crewmembers of _The Flying Dutchmen_ told about the events of twilight and the games of Liar's Dice that released them as Palifico said, "He allowed us to see that he was a liar. He lost all of the games so that we could be released, one by one, to this afterlife. It isn't what we expected, to tell the truth."

Jimmylegs nodded and explained, "Now, we're all here, except for Bootstrap Bill and another mate, Wyvern, because they couldn't win or play. You see, your friend Will probably told you that his father Bill lost a game in which he had stakes that he would serve Davy Jones for all of eternity. Nothing can remove that bet, not even winning another game, and so Bill's stuck...the same sort of goes to Wyvern, he's served the longest of us all and he's become nothing more than barnacles and coral, unable to loosen himself from the ship."

Governor Weatherby Swann shook his head and yelled, "Damn, that's dreadful! Davy Jones is an evil sort, to doom you all to such misery!"

Maccus jumped to his feet and said, "Oh, it's not that he's evil, not exactly! Guv'ner, you must understand, we alone made the choice and were trapped...so afraid of dying, not even aware of the consequences, we swore to join his crew! It's our own faults that we had such misery, although I'll admit that we should never have been offered the chance to choose in the first place. Yet Davy's just as trapped as we were, he didn't know the consequences when he cut out his heart, so afraid of heartache at the refusal of Calypso, he cursed himself into cursing others as well! He finally figured that out, I suppose, when Beckett stole his heart and he felt pain, perhaps for the first time in centuries. He opened the doors of our cages then and gave us our souls back, simply because he couldn't release himself from his own with the key being his heart."

Jack slowly nodded, silent for a moment before he queried, "Gentlemen, Mr. Swann...have any of you read Milton? _Paradise Lost_?"

Governor Weatherby Swann blinked and responded, "Oh, that? No, certainly not, _Paradise Lost_ is condemned in England. I certainly couldn't read it and besides, I heard that it was vulgar...Satan and what not."

Jack nodded and informed him, "Several years ago, I procured a copy of the combined books of _Paradise Lost_ and I still remember it...the way you talk of Davy reminds of how Milton described Satan, so fallen from grace and trapped by his own nature. Plus, Hell wasn't all fire in that Book I...it was 'regions of sorrow, doleful shades' and...those trapped there were plagued not just with flame, but with the memory of 'lost happiness'. This World's End, perhaps, is our Hell, but there was a speech that Milton wrote in which Satan said 'The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a Heaven of Hell, a Hell of Heaven.' Here's my ship and if I can figure out what I need in time, so that we can depart for battle...perhaps we can have our own heaven, at the end of it all. Will the rest of you be my crew now? Something has brought you here, there's no denying, and I don't think any of you want to linger in this desert."

Wheelback glanced at his fellows and they nodded, so he turned to face Captain Jack Sparrow and replied, "Aye, we'll join your crew, Jack, and fight your battle, I even suppose that some of us would like to fight again. Just so long as you plan to take on Cutler Beckett, if we make it out of here, and leave Davy alone. You know, talk is that when we left Tortuga, still burning after the attack of the East India Company...we were tracking another ship, one with your friends on it. I think they're coming for you."

Jack blinked and opened his mouth, shocked that they would dare so much for him, that they would face the might of the East India Company in pursuit, just to bring him back...they were all coming, even Elizabeth. Governor Weatherby Swann gasped as well, frightened for his daughter, but he tried to assure himself that she would be safe, with the company of those loyal soldiers and her Will.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

It was getting dark as _The Empress_ sailed into the bay, the ship already scrapping the sandy depths as the Chinese sailors and the Caribbean pirates all came up on deck to squint out into the twilight, trying to distinguish the form of the island that they were approaching. Captain Hector Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng were standing off to one side, softly whispering to each other as Sao scoffed and strode off, shoving past Will Turner, who staggered a little as he frowned at the Chinese pirate.

Will turned and stared out at the island as he murmured, "I don't think this is it at all...this isn't World's End."

Elizabeth, standing beside him, slowly nodded as she whispered, "You're right about that...but whatever instruments or intuition that both Barbossa and Sao Feng used, it has led them straight here. This place, though we've been here before, is on the route to World's End...perhaps that's suitable, considering how it has been used before."

Will blinked and glanced at Elizabeth as he queried, "What do you mean we've been here before, how can you even tell? It's too dark to see the island well, all I can see are the shades of trees and whatever, there's nothing remarkable."

Elizabeth shook her head and pointed, off towards a strip of the beach as she responded, "I can tell. Do you recognize that area, over there? We were here not too long ago, standing on that sandbar, though you might not have been able to memorize the landmarks, with you and Jack and Norrington so distracted over your little fight."

Will gasped and shouted, "This is Isla Cruces!"

Meanwhile, Tia Dalma, who had been standing at the back of the crowd since she was indifferent to their beaching, suddenly stiffened at the island's name and rushed forward, pushing men aside as she took her place at the rail, inhaling deeply as she gazed out on Isla Cruces.

Dalma turned to Anamaria, who was staring at her elder sister like she was mad, and asked, "Baby sister, do you not recognize this place?"

Anamaria shrugged and glanced down at her feet as she answered, "I can't remember ever having come here or hearing of it, for that matter."

Dalma frowned, then stomped off towards Hector Barbossa as she told him, "Barbossa, we must spend the night here at Isla Cruces, perhaps even longer."

Captain Barbossa grunted and muttered, "I don't think it's possible, Tia Dalma, Sao Feng may not stand for it if he fears that the East India Company is pursuing us. Besides, it will be a waste of time."

Tia Dalma shook her head and explained, "It will not be a waste of time, however long we linger here at Isla Cruces, for it will be crucial to our understandin'. The other members of your crew know this place, I sent them here to get the heart of Davy Jones, who also knew this island well when there were people here. Yet they've all gone, nothing left but ruins, for this island...it is a special place, one of conflict and pain, a place where the hearts and souls of people are tested. Will and Elizabeth, Jack as well, they fought amongst themselves and inside themselves here as well, questioning their natures even as they ran about the whole island. As for Davy Jones...this used to be his home, this island, it was where he met Calypso. Tell that to Sao Feng and I'm sure he will let us stop here for however long it takes to get an understandin', and our bearin's."

Barbossa arched his eyebrows, but he slowly nodded and walked over to Sao Feng, whispering to him, while Dalma turned to glance over at Will and Elizabeth, both gazing out from the rail. As Will lifted up his hand behind her, reaching out toward her back and her shoulders to rub them, he hesitated and, finally, dropped his hand. Elizabeth had already told him how Murtogg and Mullroy had joined their crew, along with Anamaria, bringing news of her father's death, but Dalma could guess that she had mentioned nothing to him of her father's dying poem. Perhaps Will, sensing her grief, knew to give her some space even though he wanted to comfort her, or perhaps it was something else...Tia Dalma sighed, she was reading too much into all of this in her agitation at coming back to Isla Cruces.

Nearby, Cotton's parrot squawked, "Still as the locker."

Gibbs shuddered and glanced over at Cotton, who was trembling slightly, and said, "Aye, old man, you're right about that. I hate Isla Cruces, it brought us and Jack too much trouble last time."

Marty nodded as Murtogg muttered, "This place gives me the creeps, it's haunted, even that Tia Dalma doesn't like it."

Mullroy rolled his eyes and exclaimed, "Nonsense, that's all you're saying! This is just an island like any other in the Caribbean! There's no need to worry about anything unnatural here, especially when we're looking out for each other!"

Murtogg shook his head and cried, "You're wrong about this, just like you were wrong about there being no Black Pearl! We've seen those two and their old friends, skeletons in moonlight, from the Black Pearl and what about that other island, Isla Muerte? That wasn't like any other island, and the same goes for this one as one!"

Ragetti chuckled and inquired, "Did you really think that the Pearl didn't exist?"

Mullroy cleared his throat as Pintel lectured, "Enough of this, we don't need any arguments right now, we're already in dire straits without all of us turning on each other. We're probably going to anchor out here and then go on shore in the morning, once we've had a proper rest. Once we're on shore...then we'll see what sort of a place this is, natural or not, and learn why we're here in the first place."

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**Favorite phrases: **The whole argument over tea and rum...pirates are always trendsetters, especially when it comes to freedom. The way that Hadras demonstrates who he is or used to be. "Perhaps we can have our own heaven, at the end of it all"...ah, is that not what everyone wants in their lives? I also liked the explanation I gave for what Isla Cruces is, as a state of mind, and you may read and decide for yourselves if such is the case with the next few chapters. 


	9. What Was Lost on Isla Cruces

Here is a very interesting chapter, not a lot of action and just the first half of what's going to happen on Isla Cruces, but a lot does get explained here when it comes to the Davy Jones backstory and the foundations of the relationship between Will and Elizabeth. As for the chapter title, it took me a few moments to figure it out, but I think this encompasses the physical and the psychological losses both in the present and in the past. Oh, and the disappointments, that was an interesting little thing I figured out, how Elizabeth might have thought of everything that's been happening these last few weeks or so...still, they're friendly with each other, even with everything that's happening to them, though I doubt that such is usually the case.

**Disclaimer:** Ahem, Tale as old as time...song as old as rhyme...barely even friends, them somebody bends, unexpectedly...unfortunately, that will not be Disney today. Sorry, I do not own these characters. **Roar!  
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**9. What Was Lost on Isla Cruces**

In the twilight before dawn, the crew left _The Empress_ and beached on the shore of Isla Cruces, pushing and dragging their boats up the beach to avoid the tide before they paused to rest, panting slightly as they gazed at the trees.

Captain Barbossa shook his head and told them, "It's a mess in there, so stay close together and follow the others in front of you, Tia Dalma will be taking the lead since she seems to know this island well."

Dalma nodded and they set out, heading into the tropical bush as they meandered around trees, cutting through vines and slogging their way with the humidity pressing down on them. Pintel and Ragetti, walking and talking, alongside Mullroy and Murtogg, listening, were at the back of the line when suddenly, Pintel looked up and there wasn't a sign of anyone, everyone ahead of them seemed to have faded. Pintel cried out and the rest of the foursome stumbled to a halt, scanning all around, but it was too still, there wasn't any sign of movement to indicate where they had gone.

Mullroy, breathing heavily, shook his head as he whispered, "I don't believe this, it can't be happening...the island can't be messing with us."

The others shrugged helplessly and, at random, they set off together, but then they got separated from each other...Pintel and Mullroy found themselves alone together while Ragetti and Murtogg wandered aimlessly, both seeking guidance that couldn't be given now.

Meanwhile, as they walked along with the rest of the main party, Will wiped off the sweat from his forehead and muttered, "We should have left bread crumbs like Hansel and Gretel."

Elizabeth shook her head and asked, "Will, why do you always imagine everything to be like a fairy tale?"

Will rolled his eyes and answered, "I don't really imagine everything, but in the last year or so, there's been just so much...supernatural occurrences that go beyond normal. Yet this is not a fairy tale, it's too...painful for that, but of all people, we're being led by...by a witch, for lack of a better term, possibly to something like a gingerbread house. It's unnatural."

Elizabeth grinned and murmured, "Welcome to the Caribbean, my love...blessings and curses, beauty and upheaval, Sao Feng got all that right. All right, I know you don't really think of it like a fairy tale, but it's the easiest term for how you think...of us. Of us, Will, you the hero and me the damsel."

Will groaned and told her, "Please, let's not go into all of that again, not now on this strange island...you're already in enough pain, after everything that's happened to us and to you, let's not scratch our wounds."

Elizabeth sighed and explained, "I know that now is not the opportune moment for this discussion, Will, but we've got to get it settled as soon as possible. We have to scratch this wound, no matter how much it hurts, because if we don't, it might fester so much that the infection would poison both our hearts and souls beyond repair. Besides, even with my grief...I'm strong enough for it. I'm a pirate, Will, I must learn how to deal with pain and grief and continue on to do whatever's necessary. Are you strong enough, Will?"

Will glanced away as Tia Dalma cried, "We're here! Careful of the graves, try to be respectful to the dead, for we all must meet them eventually!"

The pirates shuddered and with that warning, they carefully stepped through the graveyard, heading toward the ruins of the church as the sun started to rise. Sao Feng rubbed his forehead as he tried not to look at any of the graves, yet such was impossible, and so he raised his head and gazed up at the sky, mumbling in Cantonese, but then he cried out when he nearly fell into a gaping hole.

However, Barbossa caught him and exclaimed, "Careful, Sao! You should be more watchful of yourself, you could have caused harm...uh, if you weren't blessed."

Sao Feng shook his head and shouted, "Ah, Hector Barbossa, I have been watchful of myself and only of myself! I did stray, to make sure that I would stay blessed in the waters of the Caribbean, but now I see the harm I have caused!"

Barbossa stared at Captain Feng, but said nothing as Cotton's parrot said, "Four gone! Four wander!"

The group, hearing the news from Cotton's parrot, quickly glanced around to see who was missing, but it was Gibbs who cried, "Pintel and Ragetti! Mullroy and Murtogg! They're lost out there on this island, cursed with nothing but bad luck! It's all my fault, I can never do anything right because I'm cursed as a failure, especially when people trust me...Jack trusted me and now he's cursed in World's End! I am the bad luck, it's because of me that Norrington found us back at Tortuga and he was right about me!"

Anamaria rushed over and patted Gibbs on the back as she exclaimed, "Joshamee Gibbs, my old friend, don't say such things about yourself! You're not cursed and you shouldn't believe such things, for you're a good man and not a failure. You're one of the best pirates that I have ever seen, a loyal, responsible first mate, even if you won't acknowledge or believe how others hold you in high regard. Jack believed in you, as you should believe in yourself, and not in any sort of luck at all. Tia Dalma, speak to him, tell him what sort of man he is."

Tia Dalma nodded and said, "My baby sister is right, Mr. Gibbs, that you must trust your own abilities...yet it is odd that she speaks in such a manner, when she also doesn't trust her abilities or believe in herself."

Anamaria growled and strode over toward her as she yelled, "I am not like you, Dalma, I am not a witch that abuses her power!"

Dalma frowned and lifted her hand, but then gasped and lowered it, shocked at what strong magic she had considered unleashing against Anamaria for her harsh words, but she said, "That may be true. However, there is power in you as you are my sister of Calypso's blood, though you never originated from Davy Jones as I did."

The pirates gasped, staring back and forth between Dalma and Anamaria, the latter frozen as she murmured, "No…that can't be true. Dalma, how can that be possible, they are immortal and…oh, we're not important, not to the rest of the world."

Tia Dalma turned and gestured to the church as she explained, "You see that church? When I was young and playing amidst the weeds that were starting to grow on this island, while you were still crawling around, our mother pointed out that church to me. She told me that when she first stepped foot on this island, from beneath the waves, she had been following the sound of its bells. She said that soon after she came, she was standing in front of the church again and a man collided with her, a Scottish colonist of this island...they fell in love, her and Davy Jones. They were going to get married in that church, she told me, with the bells ringing."

The crew gazed up at the old, crumbly tower of the church, so forlorn these many years later with the absence of its bells, the very heart of it, as Dalma continued, "Yet Davy Jones, he knew who she was. For when they consorted on land and even beneath the waves, with his breath maintained by our mother as she sang a lullaby to him, he was daunted by her power. He feared this love, tranquil now, but what if the gentle passion turned into a wave, a hurricane that swept him down into the depths with misery and pain? One day, Calypso came into his house, to tell him that they should wed soon as she was with child, but to her grief she discovered that he had plunged a knife into his chest, in the act of cutting his heart out. The damage had already been done, he was dying and his heart was almost out, and so the only thing she could do was still the passage of death as she cut his heart out, using her power to ensure that it wouldn't be needed to maintain his life. However, Davy Jones was still in pain and, realizing that it was the anguish of being on such sorrowful land, she carried him to the tide. Calypso made him a ship, _The Flying Dutchman_, to be his wandering home now and she bestowed gifts on him as well, the organ that he had played at church, a locket that would play their lullaby, and a chest, one where he could keep his heart. He soon set sail, not knowing of my existence...Calypso gave birth to me and lingered on the island for many years, an outcast in the superstitious village here."

Elizabeth blinked and asked, "Why didn't she go with him or return back under the waves, what stopped her?"

Dalma sighed and answered, "For one thing, I did, she knew that I couldn't breathe under water as she did and perhaps she didn't go with Davy because she knew what change would consume him, without his heart, how not even her love could have removed his hate. Still, I think she might have been losing her powers as well...she was wasting away, unwilling to leave her memories or go back and try to forget, she was stuck on Isla Cruces as the village dwindled, with people leaving for better opportunities. Almost 9 nine years passed before she tried to move on, not back to the ocean, but into the arms of another man on the island...he was your father, Anamaria, soon wedded to her by the last priest to live here, though she did not love him. All of this time, I knew nothing of myself, of my father, until about a year later when mother told me to take my baby sister and hide in the groves. I hid, but I saw the return of Davy Jones, now able to step on land with the passage of 10 years, already changed to a crustacean form with a cursed crew following him. They first stopped at a sandbar, where they buried the chest of his heart as he secured the key, then they went to our home and killed Anamaria's father...I heard Calypso crying like waves crashing against the rocks. After Davy left, returning to his ship, I came back with my baby sister and over time, our mother told me everything...I knew she would leave and she did, slipping beneath the waves to forget. We left Isla Cruces with the last colonists, abandoning the ruins of their failure and of the love of Calpyso and Davy Jones."

The sun was now risen and, having not eaten anything yet, they spread about the ruins of the church, sitting on old stones as they ate their meal in secluded spots separated from the others. Anamaria and Tia Dalma sat together in the recess that once housed the organ, the young sister willing to speak to her elder now after all that she had finally learned. Cotton, Gibbs, and Marty sat on the threshold of the church, eating as they gazed out toward the trees, hoping to see their mates return. The captains both climbed up the stairs, thinking that they were willing to risk the instability of the bell tower for the ultimate in privacy. Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Will walked together down the aisle, heading to the foot of the old altar as they laid their breakfast to one side...it was time for them to consider their future.

Elizabeth and Will said nothing for a moment until Elizabeth sighed and whispered, "We were so young, when we fell in love, and we hardly knew anything about ourselves...each one so close and yet so far away from piracy, unaware of how it would affect our lives. Here in the Caribbean, we tried to make our paradise and we even went so far as to arrange our wedding, to both swear to devote our entire lives to each other...yet here we are. Both too painfully aware of our curses and our shortcomings, regretful of our disappointments, and now standing at a fine line...to try and make our relationship work or to let go of our lives together."

Will blinked and queried, "Wait, what do you mean by disappointments? I mean, what...what have I done, besides running off to fight Norrington in Tortuga?"

Elizabeth rubbed her forehead and responded, "To me, that was the 3rd time you had disappointed me, and all of these disappointments have been too recent for comfort...the 2nd time was on this very island. I would have expected Jack Sparrow and James Norrington to fight and quarrel so childishly over Davy's heart, both greedy and stubborn to have his own way without compromise, but you just jumped into the fight! I tried to get your attentions, but none of you would stop, none of you heard me or all of you were just ignoring me...I couldn't stand it, especially when you were involved. Those last two times, it felt like you abandoned me, and that was also how I felt the first time you disappointed me, although I know you couldn't help it the first time...my wedding. I stood there in my wedding dress, my...my father sitting in the front row and with our friends, the priest was waiting for it to begin, but you still didn't show up. For a few minutes, I waited with my feet aching and my vision blurring with tears, my heart...I know how Davy felt, all those years ago, how love can hurt you so. I did think that you had abandoned me, that I would have to stand here forever, but when news came that you had been captured, I collapsed onto my knees and cried. The other guests, most pirates themselves, quickly deserted the site as it started to rain, the cake sagging and the wineglasses filling with rainwater as I cried. My whole being was so pained...yet it ended, somehow the tears and my pain faded, and I was numb by the time they came to arrest me. Perhaps...perhaps then was when I first had my doubts, about our love."

Will stared at her, then lowered his head as he whispered, "Right...perhaps it is true, that I disappointed you just as you disappointed me. I mean, your kiss with Jack...and then learning the reason why you had to kiss him...I was disappointed, maybe, although properly I was stunned. Back at Tortuga, I didn't know what to think, about you becoming a pirate, especially from doing such a cold act without a regret."

Elizabeth shook her head and muttered, "Believe me, it wasn't something that I did calmly, without a regret, and it wasn't cold...there was a chill in my heart, yes, but I wasn't completely numb. I could feel the pain and…yes, I'll admit, I felt the kiss."

Will blinked, but he cleared his throat and said, "I...I don't know what to say. To be a pirate, it's just too much, something that I can't do...you were right about my problem, I did see death on that ship and when I saw you, you were an angel. Perhaps, in my state, I clung to you and you felt pity...that was our love, or what I mean is…is that was just the start of our love, a poor start perhaps. Then we've changed so much or, maybe now, we're back at the beginning...only to find that we're mature enough to realize how I cling and how you pity and we don't like it. Perhaps we're stuck in a mess now, hard to untangle, and…Elizabeth, you can handle it if we let go of each other, right? I mean, with your father and…"

Elizabeth nodded and replied, "I can handle it. You know who I am now. And now you realize who you are...I hope you can handle it, that knowledge in your life. If we survive, I wish you all the best in life, wherever and whatever we do...but for now, perhaps we should distance ourselves."

Will glanced away and stood up as he murmured, "Yes, that's for the best...thank you, for your kind words, Elizabeth. I wish you the best in life as well, and perhaps you need that blessing more than me since you're going into an unstable life of piracy. And since you're in love with a man neither alive nor dead, a man you may never see again and even then, a man that you should perhaps be wary of...savvy? He is a pirate, after all, that Captain Jack Sparrow."

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**Favorite phrase:** "the island can't be messing with us." Sorry, Mullroy, I'm afraid it is, and Gibbs...poor old Gibbs! I also like the story I made up for Davy Jones and Calypso, though I was low-key, but I did figure out where that song had come from...I also like how Elizabeth sort of confessed what she had felt when she kissed our very own Captain Jack Sparrow, "a man neither alive nor dead, a man you may never see again and even, a man that you should perhaps be wary of...savvy? He is a pirate, after all, that Captain Jack Sparrow." 


	10. Luck and Power

I especially admire the first part of this chapter, having been inspired after seeing an old movie called 'The Third Man', none other than Orson Welles as a disturbing character doing whatever business is necessary to flourish in the split Berlin. In one of the scenes, the protagonist and Orson are meeting on the East side as they ride a ferris wheel, which naturally stops at the top. Orson is looking out, contemplating how small everyone looks down there or so when it comes to his business and, as the scene progresses, Orson opens the door of their little cab...he eventually closes it, but it just came that close for the end of the protagonist. In his final address in this scene, as the cab goes down to land, he remarks that in the past, Italy was torn apart into warring states while Switzerland enjoyed roughly 600 years of peace, but what did Italy produce? Leonardo da Vinci, Micheangelo, and the Renaissance. What did Switzerland produce? Why, the cuckoo clock.

**Disclaimer:**** Bare necessities, the simple bare necessitites, forget about your worry and your strife-but just don't forget that these characters, unfortunately, belong to Disney.****  
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**10. Luck and Power **  
Captain Sao Feng was the first to step up onto the platform of the bell tower, glancing behind him as he moved to the stone rail with Captain Hector Barbossa rising out of the stairwell, Jack the monkey perched on his shoulder, and grunting slightly as he looked around. The tower balcony was bare except for some rope and some brass chips on the floor, the last of the colonists might have hacked up the bell up here, unable to carry it down, to get pieces of brass to melt down for profit.

As Jack the monkey jumped off of Barbossa's shoulder to clamber onto the stone rail, Barbossa now turned to Sao Feng and queried, "What did you mean, with all of that you were babbling when I stopped you from falling into that empty grave?"

Sao Feng cleared his throat and glanced away, looking over the side at the groves below as he retorted, "Ah, I can't even rightly remember what I did say."

Barbossa shook his head and said, "It wasn't that long ago for you to have forgotten already, you were talking about all sorts of things, how you were blessed and cursed, how you saw how much harm you had caused. What did you do?"

Sao Feng inhaled sharply and stiffened, composed as he muttered, "I don't know what you're talking about. It was all just babble, just about my career and nothing more, I did nothing really for me to have overreacted like that."

Barbossa stared at him and murmured, "So, you got a little scared of pirating back then, is that all? You shouldn't be scared of it, especially if you're lucky enough to be...'blessed' with mates and friends. Why, Sao, we've known each other for years, for as long as you've been visiting the Caribbean...me and Jack used to visit you in Tortuga, when I was still his mate, we used to trade and go to the bar. My monkey Jack, he's been a dear treasure of mine for a long while now, all thanks to you. As for Tia Dalma, I don't know how she met you, but she seems to think highly of you, you probably impressed her with your Compass of Want. When this is all done, you'll have no need for want, not when we would owe you so much."

Sao Feng growled and turned to face Barbossa as he told him, "Ah, mates and friends are all good for a time, especially in pleasant weather, but you know just as well as I do that when the seas turn rough, there's no profit in keeping friends. After all, you urged your fellow mates to mutiny against Captain Jack Sparrow all those years ago, all to look after your own interests and make profit. As for myself, I have sensed a bad wind for some time now...after all, the East India Company didn't just spring up in the Caribbean all of a sudden. Why, it's made a nasty reputation of itself in India and other places and now it's worming its way into this part of the world, gaining influence and power to make its move on such places as Tortuga. Mates and friends, friends and mates, will be no match against the might of the East India Company!"

With that, Sao Feng lashed out, his strong arm slamming into some of the stones of the old balcony rail and Jack the monkey screeched as he jumped away, narrowing avoiding a tumble off of the old church. The monkey scampered back up onto Barbossa's shoulder, who started humming softly to his pet and rubbing him, as he glared at Sao Feng, breathing heavily as he stared down at the floor of the platform.

Finally, Captain Hector Barbossa sighed and murmured, "Sao Feng, you disappoint me. Even when I was cursed, I knew there was always the chance that I could escape and so I pursued that avenue, so that I might feel pleasure someday. My hope, little as it was, allowed me to continue so that I might taste the sweet juice of an apple once more. You were always fortunate, compared to me, and yet you have no hope at all when your situation is so less dire. I don't understand."

Sao shook his head and explained, "You exaggerate the desperation of your curse, at least you couldn't be killed then, you just had inconvenience. It may be hard to kill me with my blessing, yes, but it can be done and if the East India Company was to throw all of its effort against me, they can do it. Instead, you disappoint me, Barbossa...you're too old and sensible to believe in luck. There is only power and that's what matters, I think you understood that when you first rebelled against Captain Jack, though you may have lost that sense when the scope of your curse overwhelmed you. You know, you can learn from the downfall of Captain Jack Sparrow...as I knew him, he believed too much in his own luck and look where that got him-betrayed by his mates, in the past and now, hunted by Davy Jones, and now poor Jack's dead. As for me, I was never...'fortunate' enough to be taught to believe blindly in luck at a tender age, I was stuck in poverty, I had to grow quickly and I soon learned about the real force in the world, power. It was because of the power of the Manchurian emperor over my China that I and the others in my community were so poor. With such an education, I couldn't stand to linger long and I soon left my homeland for the first time, to seek my own power and my own blessings as a pirate."

Barbossa slowly nodded and told him, "You know, you're not the only pirate to have been born in poverty, but never mind that. It's odd, because I was just thinking about how you just mentioned your own 'blessings' as a pirate...not too long ago, you told me and the rest of my crew that you were blessed to have met such fine people as ourselves. Why, you were certain that, with all of us together, we would enjoy smooth sailing to World's End. However, not too long before that, Tia Dalma mentioned in private that she feared we were heading into...treacherous waters."

Sao Feng stepped forward and then halted, the two captains standing close to each other, right alongside the old stone balcony, weak stones with so many cracks in them that they could break...and it was so high up, the bell tower even rose above the canopy. They glared at each other.

Barbossa muttered, "It's high, so many bones would break."

Sao Feng smiled and exclaimed, "What does that matter to me? It may take some time, but all of my bones would regenerate, flesh and bone...your bones would remain broken, to your undoing!"

Barbossa lifted a hand, glancing at it and then at Sao as he muttered, "That is true, but if this hand were to grab your throat and choke you, as I fell, then not even your blessing could regenerate you, breath is not of flesh or bone. In such a struggle, I may die, but I would bring you down with me and the treacherous waters would be pacified."

Sao Feng shook his head, glancing away as he murmured, "Captain Hector Barbossa, I admire how you might sacrifice yourself, but the damage is already done and cannot be undone. My fellow countrymen will continue my task until its end while your crew would be unaware. In fact, they care nothing for you, I should say, when you were known to be nothing but a villain to them, so they may not consider your disappearance for long. It does not have to end up here, however, if you could have enough sense to recognize that you will have more...chance of keeping them alive when we come down together, in peace. Beyond Isla Cruces, I cannot say what may happen, but there may be a battle or something of its like...then you may fight me, or whoever else may come against you, in fair duel. As Jack would have said, it's best for you to accept my offer and wait for the opportune moment to fight."

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At that moment, Cotton, Gibbs, and Marty were sitting together underneath the arch of the threshold of the church, not feeling hungry enough to eat anything and unable to think of what else could be said or done. Behind them, within the church, all of their old friends and the other significant members of this voyage were probably busy talking, likely they didn't want to be disturbed in their private and important matters. In front of them, sitting around outside in the shade, the Cantonese sailors were eating and talking in their own manner, probably they wouldn't want to have any more company when they had their own, especially when such intruders wouldn't be able to understand them. In the end, the trio was just waiting for everyone else to come out of the church or for their missing mates to show up safely.

Finally, Gibbs sighed and whispered, "I tell you all, 'tis my bad luck, I should have kept a close eye on those fellows, especially since they are not as sharp as they should be. This place, the haunt of Calypso and Davy Jones as Tia Dalma told us, is not a place for poor men to get lost, that I should say."

Cotton nodded and glanced off into the distance, suddenly he gasped and pointed, trying to speak as his parrot squawked and flapped his wings while Gibbs and Marty stood up, squinting to see who was coming. Soon enough, they saw Ragetti and Murtogg stumble out of the tropical grove together, gasping and laughing with joy at the sight of their friends. The three fellows came over and slapped them on the back, shaking their hands as they expressed their relief, telling the absent men about Dalma's tale.

Murtogg blinked and cried, "Well, I be! I've never heard of such the like and even though Mullroy always said I'll believe everything, I wouldn't have believed it except that you are all ascertaining this!"

Ragetti nodded and remarked, "That would have been an odd thing to see, ol' Davy with a sea goddess."

Gibbs cleared his throat, trying not to glance at Ragetti's wooden eye as he asked, "Well, in any case, how did you two find your way here?"

Murtogg grinned and answered, "We used your heads, that's what we did, it was easier than we expected!"

Marty and Cotton stared at each other, though Ragetti was unaware of their astonishment as he nodded and shouted, "Aye, just the two of us, we didn't need Pintel or Mullroy to lead us! The old fools are still lost out there and yet here we are, we made it back first!"

Suddenly, a voice yelled, "What is this I hear about old fools? Are you two making fun of venerable men!"

The sailors winced and glanced over at Captain Barbossa, standing where other men had been sitting, the shadows of the church's core behind him as he stood on the threshold. Yet even as he stood underneath the arch, breathing in the fresh air after being cramped up in the bell tower, he could feel the figure of Captain Sao Feng behind him and he could guess that, though the darkness hid him, he had a smug look on his face.

Murtogg bowed his head and murmured, "No, sir, not at all."

Barbossa stepped outside as Sao followed, the Cantonese sailors now standing up at the appearance of their captain while Barbossa tried not to flinch, to fullly see the crowd of Feng's crew in plain, unobstructed view now was disturbing, as he muttered, "I'm glad to hear that. Ragetti, Murtogg, you two can never forget that those men led you well in the past when you had little experience. Though you may now be independent of them, always respect their ability...they can still teach you a lesson you will never forget."

Captain Sao Feng glanced at Barbossa and frowned, the tenseness only felt by the captains and by the Cantonese crew that awaited their orders, but finally Sao Feng just cleared his throat and turned away, walking into his crowd. Barbossa shook his head, feeling a bit relieved though he was slightly put off by the plain fact that the others hadn't understood their danger. Still, he said nothing to them, now wasn't the time for trouble when they had been lucky enough to avoid it just then, instead he walked back with them towards the church. For everyone else was now stepping outside, having already settled what business needed to be settled here, and they blinked at the sunlight, for so much else had been revealed in only dimness, before gathering around Tia Dalma for a meeting.

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**Favorite phrase: **The dialogue between Barbossa and Sao Feng has some thrilling merits, and Gibbs is certainly right about the 2 comedic pairs being "not as sharp as they should be" and, of course, "That would have been an odd thing to see, ol' Davey with a sea goddess" when Ragetti's got that wooden eye. Finally, 'they blinked at the sunlight, for so much else had been revealed in only dimness.' 


	11. Obstacles and Loyalty

Well, we're finishing things up on Isla Cruces and their next destination...I actually realized, at some point, that the Bermuda Triangle would be a good place for them to end up, relatively to the east and north of the Caribbean, and would fit in nicely with the oddness of World's End. Notice that Barbossa's last line in the first part here is sort of like the last line he had in the first chapter, except that this time, he really is thanking them honestly...he certainly has changed during these past few days. Unfortunately, I set up something that could really adversely affect them-hence one of the several obstacles in here-but 'Loyalty', referring to friendship, alliances, and love can still be made and upheld, no matter what happens. With that in mind, here is where Captain Jack Sparrow finally realizes what he needs to get onboard _The Black Pearl_.

**Disclaimer:**** Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice might say, I do not own these characters or their Wonderland!**  


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**11. Obstacles and Loyalty**

Tia Dalma glanced back and forth as the sailors gathered around her, with Mullroy and Pintel panting slightly as they finally staggered out of the grove after getting hopelessly bewildered. Meanwhile, Anamaria stared at her sister with respect, now with a fuller understanding of Dalma's powers and that she personally possessed some of these as well.

Dalma raised her hands when all were present and she said, "The day's hours are slipping away and we must set a course for World's End from here. Captains, while you were in the tower, did you gauge a reading of which way to go?"

Captain Sao Feng and Captain Barbossa stared at each other, unsure of how to respond, but suddenly Barbossa gasped and replied heartily, "Aye! We go north from Isla Cruces!"

The sailors nodded and agreed while Sao Feng leaned towards Barbossa and inquired, "How did you figure that out?"

Barbossa murmured, "Up in the tower, we were standing on the north side when we spoke of...the fall. Besides, that's probably the best direction for World's End since the Bermuda Triangle lies in that direction."

Sao Feng slowly nodded as Tia Dalma continued, "Excellent, my captains, north it is, though we certainly didn't stop here just to get our nautical bearings. This island, as I'm sure all of you are now aware, is also a presence, one that can have great impact in the lives of some. Here, my mother Calypso met and lost love and, today, I'm sure you all came to recognize a new effect upon your lives."

Most of the Chinese sailors glanced at each other and shrugged, but some people, especially those of the Caribbean crew, nodded, including Murtogg, Ragetti, Sao Feng, Barbossa, Will and Elizabeth. After that, Dalma bowed her head and the captains whistled, waving their hands as they turned and walked off into the grove, soon followed by their crews for the return to the beach. Will and Elizabeth said nothing to each other as they steered a distance away from each other, Tia Dalma and Anamaria walked close to the front in whispered conversation, while Sao Feng muttered to some of his fellow Chinese sailors in Cantonese. At the back of the group, the old fellows lagged behind, Barbossa, Mullroy, Pintel, Gibbs and Cotton, all of them grim and silent as they walked at a leisurely pace.

Finally, Mullroy grunted and muttered, "We just got out and now we're going back in, it's exhausting. Well, at least we'll be sure to stick with you fellows this time around."

Gibbs firmly nodded and declared, "Aye, and I'll keep my eyes on all of you, I'm responsible for overseeing my mates and I'll do my duty. Bad luck's odd, I've been thinking, and perhaps it's best if I don't dwell on it, it's already hard enough to consider my jobs."

Pintel sighed and murmured, "Yes, we've all got hard jobs and even when all is said and done, we don't get any respect for it. Look at me and Mullroy, we've been like fathers...no, teachers to Ragetti and Murtogg and now that they don't need us anymore, they're ignoring us!"

Barbossa scratched his beard, as Jack the monkey chattered, and remarked, "That is the real truth of it sometimes, I'm sad to admit, the pupils become adept and abandon their old mates. Still, we've got each other for company and we've got to let them make their own way, let them realize how important we were, then we'll have some respect. As for you, Joshamee Gibbs, I admire your dedication to your crew and to Jack Sparrow...it was just too hard for me, all the years ago."

Cotton's parrot squawked, "Friend! Friend!"

Barbossa cleared his throat and said, "That's right, I was his friend, but that was hardly much, just some company for drinking...I didn't even know Captain Jack Sparrow too well, now that I think on it. Perhaps there was something more to him, since you all are so loyal now."

Gibbs turned to gaze at Barbossa as he informed him, "Ah, that's the truth, Jack had another side to him. I don't know for sure, but I think Miss Elizabeth Swann now sees such a side to Jack and so she and Will are walking apart, their love may be cold now if she feels a passion for Jack. However, Captain Hector Barbossa, I'll admit that you're not too much of a bad fellow, for a pirate."

Barbossa smiled and sighed, feeling weary as he murmured, "I thank you kindly for that, Gibbs, and that's the real truth."

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A small armada of 5 ships, (two minor vessels in the rear, _The Spear_ of Lord Cutler Beckett and _The Dauntless_ of Commodore James Norrington in the middle, and the tip of _Malcolm's Maid_ at the head with Admiral Smith,) is advancing on the residue trail of the secret beacon. Suddenly, a sailor in _Malcolm's Maid_'s crow nest calls out and the word is spread, Admiral Smith begins to slow his ship to a halt. The other ships in the armada follow suit, surprised at this pause in the middle of the ocean until they clearly start to see the distant form. It is _The Flying Dutchman_, still in the water despite the wind fluttering its sails, without any sign of activity on its deck. The armada circles round the ship, _The Spear_ positioned near the bow of _Dutchman_ while _the Dauntless_ swings round close to its stern. Lord Cutler Beckett and Mercer step onto the deck of their ship, Mercer carrying a small casket with Davy's heart, and Beckett observes the other deck with his telescope until he finally sighs and snaps his fingers. Mercer opens the chest and grasps the heart, squeezing slightly until Davy Jones suddenly appears on _The Spear_'s deck, groaning as he tries to take a step forward, toward them and his heart, but Mercer's will, in possession of the heart, keeps Davy several feet away from it.

Lord Cutler Beckett adjusts his wig and says, "I am very confused right now as to why you are here. The other day, I sent you ahead of us, for it would take a full day for the armada to collect itself to sail off, and I thought it would be easier for you to handle matters until my arrival. However, we have now caught up with you, without any prisoners on your ship, which indicates that you haven't even encountered them at all...you have just been sitting here, probably for the course of an entire day. There is no bad weather to account for it and there couldn't have been any misfortune on this ship as everything about it, crew included, is unnatural and undead. By the way, where is your crew?"

Davy Jones glared at Beckett and replied, "I let them go, beyond my call, to whatever afterlife awaited them. If I could, I would send you as well."

Meanwhile, Commodore James Norrington had ordered all of his men to check the pumps below-decks in this calm interval and so was the only man parading the decks of _the Dauntless_. At that moment, as he gazed out towards the stern of _The Flying Dutchman_, uncommonly as still as it had been when they had first approached this unnatural ship, he could only see one lone, cursed pirate standing at its rail. Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, that same pirate was standing beside Norrington, who now could clearly see his wretched face, though the conveyance didn't amaze Norrington since he had seen it before.

The cursed pirate held out his hand and said, "My name's Bootstrap Bill and my captain saw you looking at us, back in Tortuga, with sympathy. Who are you and how are you involved in this mess?"

Norrington cleared his throat and shook the man's cold hand as he told him, "I'm Commodore James Norrington and I've heard of you. I knew your son Will Turner for many years when he was just a blacksmith and I was a soldier. Then I was forced to travel for a time with Captain Jack Sparrow, being in dishonor, and met again with your son Will Turner on...Isla Cruces in the ruckus over your captain's heart. He was trying to get Davy's heart to save you, but I was the one that finally claimed it in trickery, so that I might regain my status. That is how I am involved, cursed as I am with corruption in this paradise, cursed to doom Davy Jones and all lost souls, living or dead, to the harsh reign of the East India Company. Even as I regret my actions, I do not know how I can amend for them, by apology to Davy Jones or by action to risk a doomed attempt to retrieve the heart. I can only do so little, to release some pirates from the clutches of the foul Beckett, but not enough."

Bootstrap Bill stared at him, almost angry that this man had brought about so much devastation, but he sensed that Norrington's sorrow was true, and so he informed him, "I can say that we will appreciate what little effort you can give us, when the time is right. If a final battle should come, I suggest you should be prepared to fight alongside us to reclaim Davy's heart. There is only me and him now, the rest are gone...we will need as much help as we can get."

Meanwhile, Lord Cutler Beckett sighed and said, "Such words are nothing but spite, I would think that you control yourself better than that, Davy Jones. I have known the stab of bile in my own heart before, an urge to spew out hateful words to those that thought themselves better than me when I was poor, but I swallowed such words. They would have done me no good then, for I was too young to correct the state that had been brought upon me through the misfortune that my mother had been unable to marry the right man. Davy Jones, you are in such a vulnerable place yourself now, as your words will do you little good here. As for your pursuit of these pirates, I will hold you to a small punishment for releasing your crew in a vain attempt to contradict the pursuit, but that is only because it did little good. The residue in the air, thick as it is in its trail, indicates that they have lingered almost as long as you have, probably on the shore of a nearby island. I do not understand why they would have been so idle for so long, they should have known better...the East India Company will not rest, especially when they are so frustrating."

Mercer nodded and raised Davy's heart as he queried, "My lord, shall we begin the bombardment upon them?"

Beckett grinned and snapped his fingers, Mercer crushed Davy's heart and he cried out in pain, yet in his agony, he could still hear Beckett bellow, "Feel that pain? Use that pain and your anger, seize the winds and whip the waves toward that beacon, toward those pirates, unleash your fury upon them in a storm they will never forget!"

Davy Jones roared and flexed his arms, muttering softly as he swept his arms across, screaming and blowing as the waves swept away from the armada, the sky clouding in the distance. A hurricane was forming, several miles away from them, centralized on _The Empress_ as it started to sail out of the bay of Isla Cruces.

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In the distorted desert, Captain Jack Sparrow woke up and grasped, clutching at the sand as he felt the desert trembling, and he cried, "Help! There's a storm, can't anyone feel it?"

Maccus glanced around and shook his head as he replied, "No, we don't feel anything, but we're dead...what's going on? You're partly in the outside world, what's happening?"

Governor Weatherby Swann pushed past him and bent down, frowning at Jack as he exclaimed, "Never mind that! You mentioned Elizabeth while you were sleeping, I heard you, what was that all about?"

Up above, Teague Sparrow leaned over the rail of _The Black Pearl_ and yelled, "Did he really, Weatherby? Why, Jack, that sounds wonderful! With everything the guv'nor's told me about his daughter, she sounds like a wonderful match for ya! My blessings on ye both, should ya survive!"

Governor Swann turned around and shouted, "Please, don't say anything, Teague, I am highly skeptical that it would be a...'wonderful match'! Well, that's just my opinion, so what is the ruckus with you, Jack?"

Jack Sparrow sat up, slightly unbalanced as he told them, "Back there, on that island, the sky was growing dark...I wasn't afraid, I had managed to crawl into a cave a distance away from the beach. Yet then it grew worse, so quickly, the waves were crashing into my cave and the wind-oh, bugger it, it was starting to turn into a hurricane."

Koleniko shook his head and muttered, "That sounds like the work of Davy Jones, prodded on by your Lord Cutler Beckett...by my reckoning, we weren't that far behind your friends when we crossed over. That hurricane is meant for them, they're stuck out there on the high sea in the middle of it."

Governor Weatherby Swann gasped and staggered back, murmuring, "No, it can't be, that's my Elizabeth, she shouldn't be out there...I can't do anything."

Jack Sparrow stared at Swann, then he suddenly stood up and strode over to the shadow of the Black Pearl, raising his head to cry, "Father! I know what I need!"

Teague Sparrow was silent for a moment and then he muttered, "Go on, me son, say what ya think ye need...I've got the rope ready to drop down, should ya be right."

Captain Jack Sparrow slowly nodded and cleared his throat, ignoring the spirits intently watching him, and he said, "For the right leverage, what I need is...is another soul, right, the trust from and for another heart, out of no other obligation or profit save for what we both need. From this other heart, I need to find...for lack of a better term, peace and grace, possibly through kindness and mercy...maybe a little passion as well, that might work rather well. Of course, all of that entails that we both give the other maybe a little...support and guidance, in both fair and foul weather for as long as possible, truly committed to each other of our own free will. Yes, I think that's about right, what I need is...true love."

The former sailors of _The Flying Dutchman_ stared at each other, wondering if they would have realized all of that if they had been given that chance when they were still alive. Governor Weatherby Swann, gazing at Jack, lifted his hand and touched it to his chest, wondering if he could still feel the heart that had felt like that when it came to his own Natasha. On the deck of _The Black Pearl_, Teague sighed and rubbed the rail, turning his back on his son to gaze up at the mast where the ragged sails hung limply, thinking that his own poor Pearl had looked like that in her final moments.

Meanwhile, down below, Captain Jack had sagged a little when his father had turned his back and he lowered his eyes, gazing down at the sand, so dry and lifeless and immutable...suddenly, the end of a rope dropped into the middle of his view, wagging slightly. Jack blinked and lifted his head as he distantly heard the others cheer, but he could only focus on the shadow of his father and so he grabbed the rope and started to climb, still gazing up for a better view. As he reached the rail of _The Black Pearl_ and as Teague helped pull him on board, Jack got a full, clear view of his father's face and the grin on it now.

Jack nodded and told him, "Right, then, let's help the others get on board."

Several minutes passed by as, together, the two Sparrows aided the boarding of Governor Swann and the other pirates until they were all gathered on the deck of _The Black Pearl_, gazing all around in relief as Jimmylegs stepped forward and bellowed, "All right, gentlemen and ruffians! Let's take charge and get out of World's End!"

Teague rubbed his forehead and remarked, "Well, actually...that might be a little harder to do."

Penrod frowned and stepped forward as he queried, "What do you mean by that, sir? We're all on board, as your son Jack passed his little test, so there's nothing to stop us leaving here, right?"

Teague gestured and responded, "You're right, Jack figured out what he needed and now you've taken control of the ship, but as for the rest...it's out of our hands. Look around, I've never been out to sea on a ship before, but I still know that you need water for a ship to float away...this World's End, whatever it is, is just a desert right now."

Ogilvey growled and turned on Jack as he shouted, "You told us we were going to leave, that we were going to get the chance to fight Beckett!"

Governor Swann stepped between the man and Captain Jack Sparrow as he calmly told them all, "Listen, let's just be reasonable, I'm sure it wouldn't do any of us any good if we turned on each other. Now, Mr. Teague Sparrow, is there anything else that we need to get out of World's End?"

Teague Sparrow nodded and replied, "Yes, one last thing...we know what Jack needs, but that in turn requires equal leverage...we need proof of the guidance, that commitment from the other heart."

The other pirates muttered to each other and walked off, to find some chore to occupy them until then, while Captain Jack Sparrow slowly nodded, though he looked slightly worried. Though he knew, despite everything that had happened, that he had such feelings, he didn't know if such affection was returned likewise…he wasn't certain of that prospect, not with everything going against him.

Weatherby Swann smiled and patted Jack on the shoulder as he murmured, "Ah, my boy Jack, have a little faith in Elizabeth's heart...I think she has enough faith for us all."

* * *

**Favorite phrases:** "However, Captain Hector Barbossa, I'll admit that you're not too much of a bad fellow, for a pirate." "I am very confused right now as to why you are here" and some of the other dialogue for that scene: As you may recall, Beckett's mother, as a cousin to Governor Swann, had been regarded as a good match for him, but he married his true love Natasha and she had fallen into a more unfortunate match. I also like how I phrased Jack's answer as to what he needed, with everything that makes up true love, and how both Weatherby and Teague fully understood what he meant...some of the terms in my description may also be reused later on by Elizabeth, but that will be delayed with the hurricane...and the losses resulting from that. 


	12. The Maelstrom

Well, here is the account of the hurricane and its aftermath, as well as what is laid on the table in the midst of it all-Dalma again sounds a little like a telephone psychic. Will also gets a little action here, Mullroy and Murtogg discuss what role they had previously played, more talk of blessings and curses with luck and power involved, some are swept away while one last miracle occurs...at the end of it all, James Norrington receives a stray survivor into his care and into his future.

**Disclaimer:**** Under the sea, Under the sea, let's hope there are no Disney shark lawyers under the sea! I don't own these characters, waw-waw-waw-waw-waw! (Somebody shoot seagull Scuttle, 'shanks!)****  
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**12. The Maelstrom**

As they set out, they at first didn't notice the darkening clouds, but they felt that something was wrong when the winds started to slap the sails and when the waves started to pound against their hull. With these signs, Captain Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng both lift up their heads and frown at the formation of the clouds while Tia Dalma gasped, staggering backwards as Elizabeth and Anamaria rush over to check on her.

Will, standing at the side, notices something is wrong and hesitantly walks over to the group, close enough to hear Dalma cry out, "Ah! A storm approaches, intent with design, I fear it is the working of Davy Jones at Beckett's bidding!"

Sao Feng nodded and called out orders in Cantonese as the Chinese sailors raced over to the mast to bring down the sails while the Caribbean crew flocked around Tia Dalma. In their huddle, they debated the possible force of the approaching storm and tried to understand how far away they were from the perceived World's End in the Bermuda Triangle. In these matters, there was more urgency for the pirates than in immediately aiding Sao's crew, as they were competent sailors who knew the workings of their own ship better than anyone else and were better suited to prepping it to handle a heavy blow. However, Will was unwilling to join his companions right now, especially so soon after his break with Elizabeth, and so he set off towards the mast to help pull down the sails, his presence unnoticed by the Chinese sailors in the darkness settling upon them.

As he clambered up the various levels of ropes towards the highest reaches, when those sails would be most susceptible to the gale winds, he started to consider that this would probably be the last time he would ever climb a mast. If he were to abandon piracy, Will knew that he would settle into the simple life of a blacksmith...in his ascension, glancing up, he suddenly noticed a glowing green light, a suspicious spectacle that hurried him all the way to the crow's nest. Up there, he found the source of the light, a rod smeared with a luminous gel...Will frowned and wrenched the rod off of the peak of the mast, holding it out as he peered at it for a moment. After that stand-still moment of contemplation, he gripped the rod tightly and moved, as agile as the raindrops falling, mixed with a fierceness like the lightning flashing as he swooped down the webbings, a unstoppable force, his boots slamming down onto the deck with the crash of thunder.

He dashed past Captain Sao Feng, who gasped and cried out in alarm, but it was too late as Will had reached his friends and slammed down the rod into their midst as he shouted, "Treachery! Davy Jones was able to track us all this way because of this beacon! Inspect it, see for yourself!"

Gibbs leaned down and sniffed as he muttered, "There is an odor in this gel, very distinct...and it lingers."

Cotton frowned as his parrot squawked, "Glow in the dark!"

Captain Barbossa nodded and murmured, "Aye, this gel is made from an odd chemical, one that must leave a residue in the air."

Anamaria glanced up at the sky as she added, "Yes, a residue that could be spread by the sea wind, especially with the forceful gusts at the height of the mast."

Elizabeth shuddered and remarked, "I always wondered how Norrington found us in Tortuga, but now I suspect he was forewarned."

Marty cleared his throat and yelled, "Everyone, we're not alone!"

The Caribbean pirates turned as one and regarded Captain Sao Feng, standing a distance away from them with several members of his crew massed behind him...the two parties, seemingly united out of necessity to survive the force of the East India Company, now had to contend with each other.

At last, Sao Feng sighed and, over the noise of the booming storm, he cried, "So, now you all know who I am!"

Mullroy frowned and shouted, "Yes, a privateer, and it's a disgrace! You were always talking about coming to the Caribbean, to escape the oppression and poverty caused by your emperor, yet now you're acting as the instrument of another imperial power just as worse!"

Murtogg blinked and glanced over at Mullroy as he queried, "Mullroy, were we not also the instruments of an imperial power when we were soldiers?"

Mullroy shrugged and responded, "Well, uh, actually…we might have been, but we're done with all of that stuff, we're not tools anymore, we're pirates!"

Pintel chuckled, slapping Mullroy on the back, while Gibbs glared at Captain Sao Feng and asked, "How did Norrington receive news that we were in Tortuga, just in time to ambush us?"

Sao pointed towards the stern and answered, "There is another longboat back there, one always prepped to be deployed, and I sent it out with some of my crew as soon as you all took off after Will. They managed to get ahead with several shortcuts through the isle's swamps and since our sleek boat had a mast, originally designed as a smuggler's or a rumrunner's boat. Once they reached the harbor, the sailor best able to speak English relayed my message to the commanding officer, Admiral Norrington himself."

Ragetti nodded and remarked, "That sounds handy."

Elizabeth, who had been staring down at the rod for awhile now, lifted up her soaked head and, almost too softly to be heard in the storm, she murmured, "Sao Feng, you have spoken often of curses and blessings. You're a pirate at heart, I can even see why you abetted the efforts of the East India Company...protection and profits, that is the secret desire of all pirates. Yet any pirate that seeks to fulfill such desires at the expense of his allies, that brings no blessing to him, just curses. You probably thought that if you led us astray, into their hands, the East India Company would reward you with power, yet here you and your crew are, stuck on the same boat as us...in a storm devised by Davy Jones from the orders of Lord Cutler Beckett himself."

Captain Sao Feng glanced up at the mast of his ship, where several of his fellow mates were struggling to bring down the sails, as he muttered, "You're right about that, Miss Swann, yet it is too late for me to regret that now. I was the one who attached that beacon and even though your Will has torn it down, they still know where we are and I cannot change that. Perhaps I should have known that this would be my doom, I always told myself that I shouldn't hope for anything, especially in the belief of luck. Yet I did go against my principles, I tried to believe that I had luck and would profit from my alliance with the East India Company. Now here is the absolute proof that there is no such thing as luck, the only thing that matters is power...this storm will destroy us all."

With these last words, lightning flashed and revealed what the darkness of the hurricane had hid, a huge, foaming wave that was curling towards _The Empress_, everyone screamed and cried out as the wave crashed against the ship and swept across the deck, tipping the ship. As this occurred, almost everyone tried to grab hold of something stable to prevent being hurled overboard, but Captain Sao Feng opened his arms and called out a welcome in Cantonese as the wave claimed him as its first victim, tossing him out into the maelstrom of the currents. Captain Hector Barbossa groaned and looked away, Sao had been a good man once before he lost himself in treacherous waters, as he wondered if the next wave would claim himself as well.

Meanwhile, Cotton spit out some water and whistled, holding out his hand as his parrot side-stepped down his arm and onto that wrist, while Cotton stared at his loyal bird and cooed softly before he flung his arm. The parrot soared up into the air, screeching in the wind as his bright plumage disappeared into darkness while the old man waved good-bye and turned his head, squinting as he wondered if he could spy another wave approaching. Ragetti was scrambling across the deck, frantically looking for his eye even as he dreaded that it had been washed away, while he heard Mullroy frantically calling for Murtogg.

Anamaria had grabbed Tia Dalma as she slid down the deck and now they were clutching at some loose boards, haggardly breathing as Dalma told her sister, "Oh, Anamaria...you should not have come, why did I not try to spurn you when you stepped onto this deck?"

Anamaria shook her head and replied, "Dalma, it was for the best that I came. For so many years I have wandered, not really certain of who I am and unable to forgive you for a petty grief...yet now here we are, as it should be, facing what darkness there is together, until the end."

Tia Dalma gasped and she covered her eyes, muttering, "No…for when the end should come, we will not be together, not while the bird flies to another perch. You will follow that bird, my baby sister, as it will be, while I will bring the darkness and yet the light."

Nearby, Elizabeth coughed, too tired...Jack, her father, Norrington, Will and Sao Feng, so many men in her life were fallen into darkness, death and corruption and the unknown, she could not see Will and feared from that. She was at World's End, Terra Incognita of darkness and despair, and those were her last thoughts as the final wave slammed into the boat. As she splashed into the cold ocean, she recalled the poem from her father's dying lips, words that she would never be able to speak to Captain Jack Sparrow now. Yet when Elizabeth closed her eyes, she felt the tide change, the water swelling with buoyancy...unconscious, she and the others drifted over a now calm sea to a island roughly a mile away, to be deposited upon its shores.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

It was the twilight before dawn and Commodore James Norrington had gone to his cabin while the armada was halted in the interval needed for the hurricane, from which they were shielded from by Davy's magic binding it to within the confines of the Bermuda Triangle. So, being safely outside of the Triangle, the sailors had security and leisure enough to gather at the bow and watch the spectacle of nature's fury without any risk, but personally James was disgusted by their awe…especially since people were probably dying in that hurricane. Still, it was now quiet enough below-decks, with his whole crew distracted outside, that he took this secluded chance for a quick nap in his cabin, knowing that it would only be a short time before he was needed and he had to be well rested for his horrid command. At this point, Norrington had been sleeping for about 3 hours when he heard a whisper and, being a light sleeper, he was immediately awakened, groaning as he sat up and rubbed the bridge of his nose, despondent as he sleepily wondered who would dare wake him.

James turned his head and blinked, his eyes widening as he saw Bootstrap Bill standing there, yet he composed himself as he queried, "What are you doing here? Is the hurricane wasting away already?"

Bootstrap Bill nodded and responded, "Yes, one of your crew is bound to be coming for you soon, so I will be short. Even with Lord Beckett controlling his heart, forcing him to create that hurricane, Davy Jones still has some control outside of that influence. When all of those onboard that ship, including my son and Elizabeth and their friends, were swept into the sea, Davy made it so that the sea would bear their weight. Thus, they were lifted upon a swell that will propel them into the shallows of a nearby island, the one that we are certain is World's End as it is inside the Bermuda Triangle, and at least some are safe. Your ship, and the rest of the armada, will soon take off and probably find that island...when Beckett mounts the attack, then you must be prepared to find a way to get to him."

Norrington sighed in relief, but suddenly he frowned and anxiously asked, "Is there...is there any way for Davy Jones to know who survived the initial dowsing into the ocean?"

Bootstrap Bill sighed and answered, "When Davy enabled their buoyancy, he knew that it was too small a chance that he could manage to save everyone in time, that some if not most of those floating to the island aren't already dead. I cannot assure you, or myself, that those we care about didn't drown. Still, we must continue with our purpose, to ensure that the East India Company will never have total dominion over the seas and those that roam it. Of course, even without Davy's heart, they still be powerful when it comes to force and weaponry, yes, but only on a flimsy, short-lived scale that will make no difference in the scheme of things. By our actions, we will doom ourselves to an end, but we will be prepared to meet it with honor as we have assured that corruption and tyranny will not last forever."

James Norrington slowly nodded, dumbfounded by such a speech, but when there was a knock on the door, Bootstrap Bill instantly disappeared and Norrington gasped, startled and bewildered. As he stood up and answered the knock, he could barely comprehend the sailor that saluted him and told him to come out and give orders for departure. James was still trying to absorb the whole conversation, to reassure himself that it had not been a figment of his own imagination. Commodore Norrington strode onto deck and cried out his orders to his men before he walked over to a side rail, seeking privacy as he gazed out at the expanse of the ocean, gloomy without the light of the sun. In the shadows of the waves, he wondered if he saw a floating parade of drowned souls, always moving and always visible through the magic of Davy Jones, carried away forever with the currents. He tried not to think that Elizabeth was now one of their number, but he couldn't stop picturing her pale face, staring without seeing up at twilight...suddenly, there was a squawk and James Norrington jumped. He turned about and gaped at the tropical, almost hopeful sight of a green and yellow parrot now perched on the rail, fluttering his wings as his beady eyes stared up at Norrington.

The parrot bobbed his head and screeched, "Sir!"

James Norrington bent down and whispered, "I've seen you before...you were the parrot of that mute fellow, Cotton, and you spoke for him. I do not know why you are here, though I fear I know why you had to leave your former master...do not call me sir, little parrot. I am not your owner."

The parrot cocked his head and ruffled his feathers, shaking his head at that odd angle as he flapped up into the air, landing on Norrington's shoulder as the man flinched slightly at the way the talons dug into his clothes and skin. At last, James Norrington cleared his throat and turned his head to glare at the parrot, but the bird stared back at him and squawked softly.

At last, Commodore James Norrington sighed and murmured, "Fine, I shall be your owner, it suits me now that I am truly turning into a pirate. Of course, you need to fly away from me for a few minutes, for my men should not see me with you perched on my shoulder, it would give the game away. And when this is all over, and if I manage to survive somehow, I should find a suitable name for you, but that will be another matter entirely and we have more urgent business this morning."

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**Favorite phrases:** The extended metaphor that I had for Will the storm, coming down in his fury to reveal treachery. "Mullroy, were we not also the instruments of an imperial power when we were soldiers?" "...we're not tools anymore, we're pirates!" "You will follow that bird, my baby sister, as it will be, while I will bring the darkness and yet the light." The melancholy part of 'the floating parade of drowned souls', yet there is a little heart in how Norrington speaks to his new parrot...who will indeed receive a name before the end. 


	13. Welcome to World's End

Well, this isn't exactly the best chapter ever, it's slightly short and yet rushed at the end, but the first half on the island is rather suitable for the mood after the trauma and destruction caused by the hurricane.In the real World's End, it's a little awkward, but I had to set up the scene so that Jack could catch up on the gist of everything that had happened before. Actually, I may post up another chapter tonight to soothe over the faults I've done with this one, for this and the next one are perhaps better read together for the overall creation does match up eventually.

**Disclaimer:**** Of course, Disney hasn't always been perfect when it comes to their movies...especially when it comes to straight to video sequels...especially when these are sequels to classic Disney favorites...and I don't mean those from the 90s, I mean those from the _older _movies...originals that were beautiful with the characters, once sweet little animals, growing up and realizing that though there are tragic events in life, there can still be hope and joy for the future...and then the sequels go back to their childhoods. Even when there is nothing more to be learned. I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean, but I wish that Disney didn't own _Bambi_ and _The Fox and the Hound_; then I wouldn't hold anything against them.**

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**13. Welcome to World's End**

Elizabeth Swann groaned and rolled over onto her stomach, coughing out seawater as she wiped her mouth and managed to push herself into a sitting position while the waves lapped around her. She was still for a moment, finding herself staring out towards the ocean, as she wondered how she could be still alive…then, feeling chilled by the water, she slowly stood up, grunting slightly with her weak legs. Elizabeth turned around awkwardly, staring at a wall of shadowy green foliage stretching back from a gray sand shore, littered with rocks, before she staggered up the beach, walking past so many cold bodies. Most of those adrift in the surf were the Chinese sailors that she had never known, men that had died so far away from their native land, trying to find a way to support themselves with shady business that had doomed them to this forsaken shore.

Elizabeth shuddered and lifted her head, glancing to the left and to the right...in the twilight, she could see a handful of other people standing up and so she knew she wasn't the only survivor, though she couldn't see who they were. Within a few minutes, all of these people had finally walked beyond the tide-line and they headed towards the shade of a tree, collapsing into sitting positions as they congregated and glanced around, checking to see who was here and who was missing. Captain Hector Barbossa, Will, Tia Dalma, Anamaria, Gibbs, Pintel, Marty, Ragetti, Murtogg and Mullroy eventually stumbled over...the two former soldiers told them that they had seen Cotton, dead in the surf, and then there were about 15 surviving Chinese sailors, somber and uneasy.

Gibbs groaned and murmured, "Oh, poor old Cotton...here, Barbossa, ask them who can speak English."

Barbossa slowly nodded and asked the question in Cantonese as 5 sailors slowly raised their arms and then Barbossa muttered, "Right, translate and tell the others that we hold nothing against you all, especially when the East India Company has done this to all of us. We'll work together for now, since they'll be coming for us soon...we have too little time left to look for Captain Jack Sparrow."

Mullroy lifted his head and wearily asked, "Is this really the island?

Tia Dalma rubbed her forehead and answered, "Yes, we are here, after everything that has happened...we have reached World's End. We shall split up and spread out, this island shouldn't be very big, I don't think it is Bermuda itself or anything as big as that."

Anamaria grunted as she stood up and scanned their surroundings, pausing once as she glanced towards the ocean and softly whispered, "Oh, Barbossa...tell them that Captain Sao Feng is over there, down that way."

Barbossa sighed and relayed the message, and while the Chinese sailors got up to take care of their captain's body, the rest of the Caribbean crew went their separate ways, some heading into the island's interior while others followed the shoreline.

Will Turner turned to Elizabeth and bowed his head as he told her, "Well, we are here, so few of us now, all for the sake of your Jack. Yet I still hope that we find him alive and well...you have already lost your father and I don't want you to suffer more grief now."

Elizabeth lowered her head and murmured, "Thank you for your sympathy, Will, I am sorry about the pain I have caused you as well. I...it has been hard, on us all, and I hope that whatever comes for us, that we should all survive, especially you...you have been too good and it shouldn't end like this."

Will shrugged and muttered, "Well, it can't be helped, I will still fight no matter what happens...there is Davy Jones and there is Lord Cutler Beckett, and they will fight with me to an end, I will make sure of that. You say I am too good and, if it were any other day but today, you would be right...but today I shall forget who I am."

Elizabeth shuddered and couldn't think of anything else to say as Will turned and raced off into the trees while she walked away, down the shoreline, trying to keep herself steady. To compose herself, and to try not to look at the bodies, she checked her sword and her pistol in her belt...the powder was slightly wet, some bullets may misfire, but her sword was still good and that was what mattered. As Elizabeth slid her sword back into her scabbard, her thoughts strayed to what Will had said and she choked slightly, thinking about her poor father, imagining how he fell from Beckett's shove...the words pulsed, in her mind, the last words that he had ever spoken. Her steps stumbled and she blinked, shielding her eyes...she had meandered slightly, walking closer towards the tide in her progress, and now there were rock monoliths and arches in front of her, moist with the waves that crashed against them, forming their structure.

Elizabeth squinted and she saw the mouth of a cave, set just above the tide-line, situated in a sheltered locale...she clambered over and around the rocks, heading toward the cave, certain that she would find Jack inside. Yet just as she reached the mouth of the cave, she heard a distant cry and turned around...five ships were approaching the island, still far off, but coming fast. She could see some of the pirates gathered on the beach, ready to meet this armada sent by the East India Company, but she turned away...if they were to fight, it would give her more time. Elizabeth stepped into the cave, slogging through a stream of water from last night's hurricane, and soon spotted a prone figure...it was her Jack, her poor Captain Jack Sparrow.

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Captain Jack Sparrow sat on the steps leading up to the quarterdeck, his compass in hand as he numbly watched it spring around to all points while Governor Weatherby Swann sat beside him, taking off his hat and his wig as he sighed to himself. On the main deck, the Twins were cleaning up while Ogilvey checked the cannons, making sure that they were clean as Clanker and Crash carried cannonballs over to them. Maccus, Hadras, Wheelback and Palifico practiced their sword fighting while Penrod, Quittance, Jimmylegs, Greenbeard and Koleniko played a card game. Teague Sparrow, leaning against the rail, gazed over at his son…it had been so long since they had seen each other when they met again up on the deck of the _Pearl_, face-to-face. In fact, if both of them hadn't known who the other was, they wouldn't have been able to recognize each other, as Jack only had his memories of his late father and he had also grown over many years of life that Teague never knew. Teague Sparrow sighed, thinking that he should go over and talk to Jack while there was still time, their reunion now couldn't last and they had never been close before his death. Yet suddenly there came a cry from below, startling the man as he turned and gazed down at a large assemblage of pirates, though he couldn't see them clearly all the way up here.

Teague groaned and yelled, "Just grab the rope and climb up, fellows, welcome to _The Black Pearl_ and World's End! We'll be sailing to battle as soon as we get the call!"

Down below, these new pirates glanced at each other and shrugged, probably deciding to come up since there was nothing else to do, and so the first of them grabbed the rope and started to climb. Meanwhile, Teague turned around in irritation, to find that the former crew of _The Flying Dutchman_, Governor Swann, and Jack were walking over to see these newcomers.

Weatherby cleared his throat and asked, "Who are these fellows?"

Teague growled and answered, "What does it matter? They're pirates, they're here, they might as well come and fight with us, right, Jack?"

Captain Jack Sparrow frowned and glanced aside as, a slight distance behind and below, the lead man climbing the rope called, "That's right, good sir, I'll be willing to fight for my old ship and captain again! Ahoy, Jack, I'm at your service!"

Jack blinked and turned his head as he exclaimed, "Hey, who are you? Your voice sounds familiar, poor soul, but I can't recall how!"

A wrinkled hand gripped the rail and Teague helped heave the first man aboard as Cotton bowed his head and said, "I thank you, sir, though I feel fitter now than I was these last few years of my life."

Jack gasped and cried, "Cotton! You...can speak! What happened to you, are all of these others...my crew?"

Cotton turned to face him and replied, "Of course I can speak now, no loss can affect me in this afterlife. I drowned, plainly enough, swept off the deck of _The Empress_ along with most of her foreign crew in a hurricane. Don't worry, our friends are still alive, as far as I know."

Jack stared at Cotton, then strode over to the rail and glanced down, yet he had to quickly side-step away as the second man clambered up the last bit of rope and swung himself onto the deck of _The Black Pearl_, glancing around grimly. Yet Captain Sao Feng nodded, this would have to do when there was no other choice, and he turned towards Jack, bowing his head as he walked over to speak with him, followed by Cotton, Teague Sparrow, and Governor Weatherby. The five fellows instinctively met off to the side, distanced from the crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ and the rest of the Chinese sailors ascending, as they knew that they would have private council.

Captain Jack Sparrow cleared his throat and murmured, "Captain Sao Feng, I must say welcome even under these unpleasant circumstances of death, though I am curious about how you got involved."

Cotton raised his hand and told him, "Well, first of all, it started with us going to Tia Dalma after...Miss Swann tied you to that mast. When we arrived, she told us that we could save you, with the help of herself and…Captain Hector Barbossa. She brought him back to life, sir, and he was the one who suggested that we should try to steal a ship, Sao Feng's ship."

Jack gaped at Cotton, it didn't seem fair that Barbossa could have returned after everything he'd done, but then Jack sighed and muttered, "Well, I suppose a really bad egg was better than no help, then. It's awkward, to know that he came back to take charge, but at least Tia Dalma came along to remind him of his obligations and keep him honest."

Sao Feng slowly nodded, silent for a moment before he suddenly blurted, "Yes, Captain Barbossa was well-behaved, better than I was at the time for, in truth, when they joined up, I immediately sent some of my men to inform Admiral James Norrington of the East India Company. I'm sorry, I was too corrupted, I was already a privateer for them in order to maintain my own profits and blessings in this Caribbean paradise."

Governor Weatherby Swann and Teague Sparrow stared at Captain Sao Feng in shock while Jack clenched his fists until, unable to resist, he lashed out and punched Sao. The captain barely flinched, being dead, but he whispered, "I deserved that, Jack, I really did."

Cotton turned back to Jack and informed him, "Right, you've gotten that out of your system, but he's already confessed and we can't fault him for much more, not when we don't have the time. I'm certain that those that still live are on your island already, Jack, Barbossa and Dalma and Anamaria and everyone...oh, did you know about Dalma's parents?"

Jack blinked and queried, "So...wait, the story about Davy Jones and Calypso...they were her parents? What about Anamaria?"

Cotton sighed and responded, "Just Calypso. Now look, I don't know what's going on, but with the beacon that Sao put on his ship for them all to track us, Beckett and Davy Jones and the whole armada of the East India Company are likely right behind us."

Jack groaned and murmured, "Yes, I kind of figured that might be the case...bugger it, now what's going to..."

Captain Jack Sparrow cried out and fell onto the deck as Teague bent down and exclaimed, "Son, what happened?"

Jack lifted his head and shouted, "Someone's dragging me out of the cave! They've found me, whoever they are...with any luck, we'll be out of this World's End soon enough, if Elizabeth can say what needs to be said!"

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**Favorite phrases: **Though grim, there is some merit to most of the phrases constructed for the first half on the island. It is perhaps suitable that this is the 13th chapter...I also liked how I phrased the first conversation 'spoken' between Cotten and Jack, Cotten was the natural narrator when, before, he had been nothing except the silent observer. Finally, to try and make this whole last half a little better, I added in "Well, I suppose a really bad egg was better than no help, then." And a really bad chapter is sometimes better than no chapter at all. Though when it comes to sequels, it would be better if they were good, that's what Johnny Depp insists for participation in any possible 4th POTC. 


	14. What Needs To Be Said

Ah, now this is a good chapter compared to the last, and finally the words will indeed be said! Now, the little prose I made up for this has parts of it taken from several lines from several different songs inthe Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera _The Pirates of Penzance_, most notably from 'Poor Wandering One'. Of course, these lines are scattered about, intertwined by substitutions I've created, to keep it fair. The first part also sets up a separation that will be maintained for a few chapters, Will and Barbossa with the main fighting force, Anamaria and Gibbs exploring with their own party, and Elizabeth with some company. However, in the second part, they'll be some big connections made between those on the island and those in World's End, the formatting keeps it straight.

**Disclaimer**** I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean (Disney) and, to be on the safe side, The Pirates of Penzance (G&S) though that may be public domain.**

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**14. What Needs To Be Said**

As the ships approached the island, quite a few of the pirates halted their search and gathered at the edge of the beach, watching the approach as they discussed whether or not they should confront any landing party. There were 10 Chinese sailors, Marty, Tia Dalma, and Captain Hector Barbossa and Will Turner. The former crew-members of _The Empress_ were squatting in the sand while one of them used a stick to sketch out the lay of the land, muttering softly in Cantonese as he explained the possibilities of the coming battle. Nearby, Tia Dalma had been feeling faint and was now lounging against the trunk of a tree, muttering softly to herself while Marty stood beside her and used a rag to mop off the sweat from her brow.

A few feet away, Captain Hector Barbossa was listening intently to the meeting of the Cantonese sailors and Will, feeling awkward, queried, "What are they saying?"

Captain Barbossa glanced back at Will and responded, "They are trying to decide if they should hold steady, here at the tree-line, in the first landing or if they should charge at the first chance of surprise. The ships are far enough away that they probably haven't spotted us yet, though that isn't a guarantee, and if there is no chance to surprise them, then it would be best to hold until the situation is fully gauged. In any case, they know that they are the first line of defense or attack, being endowed with a rare 'blessing' that will protect them as they eliminate as many men as possible."

Will sighed and murmured, "They are honorable...I can find no blame with them, or with their late captain, for becoming privateers. Their lives were far harsher than our own, they just wanted to find a better advantage here...if we live, Jack will probably let all of them join him if they so wish."

Barbossa nodded and remarked, "Yes, Jack can be forgiving in that way...to me, so many years ago, I thought it a weakness, but I see now that it is necessary, the best course of action sometimes in troubling times. Will Turner, I must say that it was an adventure indeed to have sailed with you and the rest of Jack's crew. I gather that you will leave us, when this is all over?"

Will nodded and replied, "Yes, I cannot take to piracy any longer...I was never really a pirate, entirely, I may have sometimes been brutal and cold enough for one, but...I am too good. Elizabeth loves Captain Jack and this pirate life, it will suit her fine, and I can leave in peace of her happiness. I will return to England, when I have done my part here...the Caribbean holds too many ill memories for me, especially...of your attack."

Captain Barbossa blinked and turned to stare at Will as he asked, "Uh...what do you mean?"

Will frowned and answered, "You attacked a merchant ship, about 12 years ago. I was on that ship, barely more than a boy, and I saw everything...you massacred them and then you sunk the ship."

Captain Barbossa gaped at Will, then he glanced away and lowered his head as he muttered, "Ah...I recall now, the Aztec gold. I cannot excuse that, Will, the damage that I did to them and to you...my sins are my own to bear, my curses, and I cannot ask forgiveness from anyone, especially those men whose lives I took."

Will sighed and rubbed his forehead as he murmured, "Yes, that's quite right, I just needed to hear that...it cannot change anything but it can cast a dim light into the darkness. Anyway, what about the others, where are they?"

Marty glanced up and replied, "Gibbs and Anamaria, along with the rest of the Chinese sailors, took off toward another end of the beach earlier, I don't know if they even know about the attack since they haven't come back yet. As for Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg, and Mullroy...they were here, yes, but I think the two soldiers convinced the other pair to come help them look for Miss. Swann."

Will grunted and Captain Barbossa nodded as he remarked, "Yes, and wherever Elizabeth is, I'm sure that's where she'll find Jack...they can handle themselves, especially with the help of that foursome, though I wish that Gibbs could come back with his force, we need the extra aid."

Tia Dalma opened her eyes and informed him, "He and my sister will come when it is necessary, but they have their own meeting to consider...the ships, can anyone see which is _The Flying Dutchman_?"

Will shuddered and glanced out at the distant armada, shaking his head as Dalma sighed and settled back into her sleep. At that moment, the Chinese sailor that had been leading their conference stood up and walked over to Barbossa as he told him, "Captain, we have decided that we shall start back here, in wait for the landing party to approach before we charge."

Captain Barbossa nodded and said, "Now that is an excellent plan, and I shall place you in charge of that attack. What is your name?"

The man bowed his head and coolly replied, "You may call me Lin, if you so wish, I was an assistant to my late Captain Sao Feng. I suggest, my Captain, that we should take our positions now...they will land within a few moments."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Elizabeth hurried over and bent down, checking Jack's pulse and breathing...both were faint, but he still lived, although the worse for wear from dehydration and starvation. She carefully checked to see that his sword, his pistol, his compass (which she thought of as 'the Compass of Want' as Sao Feng had called his invention), and his hat were secure before she attempted to lift him from his armpit. Elizabeth grunted as she started dragging Captain Jack Sparrow out of the cave, careful that he wouldn't bang himself too badly on the rocks, though she couldn't help it when his boots dragged themselves through the water. The most important thing was to get him out into fresh air, away from the damp chill of this cave, and where she could have space to care for him...yet he wasn't exactly lightweight and she feared that she might drop him if she got too exhausted.

Suddenly, she heard some distant voices outside the cave and Elizabeth paused, shifting Jack's weight as she cried, "Hello! I'm in the cave, I need help with Jack!"

In turn, she heard Ragetti's voice yell, "Fellows! She's in here and she says she's got Jack!"

Elizabeth sighed in relief and waited as the four fellows, Ragetti and Murtogg along with Pintel and Mullroy, all entered the cave and squeezed themselves through to her, glancing down at Jack as Murtogg said, "Right, Miss. Swann. I think you can let me and Ragetti lift him up between us, that'll be best."

Elizabeth slowly nodded and transferred Jack carefully into their hands, checking to see that they had a good, yet gentle grip on him before she took the lead alongside Mullroy and Pintel as they progressed out of the grotto. Out in the air, Elizabeth inhaled deeply and glanced around, waving her hand toward a clearing beyond the tide-line as their destination. However, before they could reach it, they had to make their way over and around the slippery rocks and, several times during this trip, they almost dropped Jack despite their best efforts, but Elizabeth was on hand to help catch him in time.

_In World's End, the dead pirates stared as Captain Jack Sparrow flailed around on the deck of _The Black Pearl_, sliding sometimes, as if being pulled or hefted by invisible hands. Several times, he yelped and seemed to waver, but grunted as he became steady again._

_Captain Sao Feng shook his head and asked, "What is going on, Jack?"_

_Jack managed to say, "They're carrying me, though it's awkward...I think that I fall sometimes."_

_Cotton arched his eyebrows and queried, "Who is on hand to catch?"_

_Captain Jack Sparrow cleared his throat and said nothing, though Governor Weatherby Swann sighed and shrugged...he could not disapprove and perhaps this would be a good practice for their married life in trusting each other._

At last, they reached the clearing and they laid Jack on the ground, getting a good look at him in the sunlight...Pintel inhaled deeply and muttered, "It looks bad, Miss, I can't say how he's managed to last this long."

Mullroy slowly nodded and inquired, "How can we treat him and restore him to health, when we have no medicine or food at hand and we are threatened?"

Elizabeth sighed and murmured, "With our hearts, as my father told me in his final words."

With that, she sat down on the ground beside the still captain, stroking his forehead as she recited these words to Captain Jack Sparrow:

**_"Poor wandering spirit,_**

**_Though thou hast surely strayed,_**

**_In blood water and in grim desert,_**

**_On your allegiance we've a stronger claim_**

**_And steps will retrace with the tide._**

**_For if such poor love as mine,_**

**_Sighing softly to the river, can help thee,_**

**_Take heart of grace and guidance,_**

**_It is thine with the loving sea breeze,_**

**_Bringing the tide to the grim desert,_**

**_So sail back and fair days will shine for us."_**

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Finally, Captain Jack Sparrow's movement settled down and he was lying on his back, staring up at the mast while the sailors stepped forward, but Teague Sparrow held up his hand and hissed, "Give him space and be silent! Listen, I think there are people talking."

They did hear first one, and then another male voice speaking gruffly in the air and the former crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ and of _The Empress_ glanced around, confused by what was going on, yet with the first voice, Cotton murmured, "I...I think that is Pintel."

Weatherby lifted his head with the second voice and remarked, "That is one of those soldiers that was with me at my death, they were loyal."

Meanwhile, Jack winced and closed his eyes, feeling so chilled and yet hot...he vaguely could see rough faces hovering over him, but there was a wisp of hair, a gentle touch on his forehead, and she **_spoke_. **He strained to hear, not knowing that the spirits on _The Black Pearl_ had finally all grown quiet and still, tense for a moment, but then they relaxed at "**_Poor wandering spirit_**", knowing she spoke to them in this "**_grim desert_**". Jack opened his eyes after a moment, and her voice still echoed here in the distorted desert now, even louder...he stood up at the "**_steps_**" and waited, waited for the key.

"**_For if such poor love as mine_**..."

Jack shook his head, it wasn't poor for someone like him,

"...**_can help thee_**..."

Jack nodded and murmured, "We both have what we need in each other..."

"**_It is thine with the loving sea breeze_**,"

As the sails in this grim, airless desert suddenly rippled, growing taut with the force of a salty wind blowing against them, straining to move _The Black Pearl_ from its stiff perch,

"**_Bringing the tide to the grim desert_**..."

Something splashed against the ship and Captain Sao Feng gasped as he rushed over to the rail, looking down as he cried, "Water! It's welling up from the sand, it's swelling up to a foot right now and rising!"

Governor Weatherby Swann chuckled and glanced off toward port as he exclaimed, "I think I see something in the distance! It looks like an island! Jack, we'll reach it soon enough! Come, come...Jack?"

For as Governor Swann turned back around, to gaze at the space where Captain Jack Sparrow had just been standing a moment ago, his arms spread apart and smelling the breeze, he found that Jack had vanished. The other pirates and sailors hadn't really noticed, flocking over to watch the tide rise and bear them off or to look out towards the island, pointing out other ships approaching in the distance, but Wheelback had lingered back and now he turned his head toward Swann.

Governor Weatherby Swann appealed to him, "Sir, did you see what happened to Jack?"

Wheelback shook his head, but replied, "I do not think he is here...his body was elsewhere and now he's gone back to that and to your daughter. Let's make due course towards the nearest shore of that island and mayhap we'll see him soon."

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**Favorite phrases:** Well, naturally I have some fondness for the little prose piece I cooked up for this, it suits the situation and, if you were to look back, some of the phrases in there also popped up in Jack's definition on true love. I had made this piece in advance, of course, I thought it would be wonderful if 'Penzance' could meld with 'Caribbean'! 


	15. Norrington's Misadventure

Hello everyone, hope you all had a lovely Christmas! Sorry it's been so long and that, yes, this chapter doesn't return straight to Elizabeth and Jack, but that's coming up after this, I promise. Right, here is where poor old James gets into some trouble, but meets somebody new as well.

**Disclaimer:**** Did you get a Pirate in your stocking? I got a Pirate in my stocking, so does that mean I own them? Nope, Disney does...I hope they got a lump of coal yesterday.  
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**15. Norrington's Misadventure**

The armada of the East India Company, after sailing as close to the shore of the island as possible, anchored themselves as their soldiers and sailors packed themselves into the longboats and the rowboats to storm the beach. After making an appearance amongst his men, Commodore James Norrington slipped away as soon as possible, heading up to the quarterdeck as he sat down, hidden from sight behind the rail as the parrot formerly belonging to the late Cotten soared down to land on his shoulder. Norrington sighed and started to pet the parrot when suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him.

Norrington gasped and cried, "Bootstrap Bill! Don't startle me like that!"

The parrot flapped his wings and squawked, "Bootstrap Bill!"

Bootstrap blinked and stared down at the parrot as he remarked, "Well, Norrington, I can see the truth of your alliance with me and my captain Davy Jones. You are an honest pirate now and I suppose I should congratulate you...though you do know that you're about to enter a hard life?"

Norrington slowly nodded and replied, "I've seen the harsh pirate life before, I was part of Captain Jack Sparrow's crew even if I wasn't honestly a pirate then, but now I've seen how corrupted my life has already become even when I'm not involved in piracy. Perhaps I should let myself feel its hard life if it'll allow me to be a better man than I am now. That is why I joined you, that is why I'm helping you both...now, how are we doing this? Beckett is going to call Davy Jones onto the beach, so the two of us will follow them, right?"

Bootstrap shook his head and told him, "Davy Jones cannot step on dry land for many years, not even as much as Cutler Beckett may try to squeeze and contort his heart to get him to come. Davy's plan is that the two of us will go on land together, right at this moment, or else he might be tempted by his tortured pain to send me to Beckett instead."

Norrington frowned and asked, "Uh...how could I possibly travel with you when I don't have your powers?"

Boostrap smiled and, grabbing Norrington's arm, he cried, "Like this"!

Norrington screamed and felt himself stretched and bent, funneled with time and space flashing past his eyes, tightly gripped and then hurled onto the ground. The parrot immediately flew off, he wasn't the worse for wear...Commodore James Norrington sighed to himself and turned to face Bootstrap Bill, standing in the sand next to him, grinning down at him.

Norrington sighed and muttered, "You just did that to me as a little punishment, for the heart...right?"

Bootstrap slowly nodded, but he replied, "Well, after such a hectic trip like that, I suppose I can be easy with you from now on. Need a hand to help you up?"

Norrington shook his head and grunted as he pushed himself onto his feet, wobbling slightly after that disconcerting little trip, and glanced around for a moment to get his bearings. He was on the island, just above the tide-line and in front of a grove of trees, but he couldn't see the ships out in the harbor. He frowned for a moment and shielded his eyes, checking the position of the sun to discover that he was actually on the other side of the island.

Norrington turned to face Bootstrap and yelled, "You dropped us off too far away! The pirates and the East India Company are about to fight back there and we're farther from getting back the heart of Davy Jones than we ever were!"

Bootstrap groaned and gazed around as he murmured, "This can't be right, I've never done this wrong before...I suppose I was so distracted with giving you a rotten time that I overshot the perfect mark. Never mind, I can take us back."

Norrington shook his head and bellowed, "No! I'm never going through that again, it was too horrid! We'll just hike through the jungle, no matter how long it takes, but that'll serve you right!"

Bootstrap winced and whispered, "Uh, I suppose that's understandable, Norrington, but you shouldn't yell that loudly."

Norrington frowned and inquired, "Why not?"

Suddenly, the bushes parted nearby and 5 Cantonese pirates sprang out, forming a tight circle around Bootstrap Bill and Commodore James Norrington as Joshameee Gibbs and Anamaria wandered into the circle. Norrington sighed and rubbed his forehead, while cursing himself for an idiot, though he couldn't help staring at Anamaria even as she glared at him, though she barely noticed Bootstrap since he had slipped behind James.

Gibbs stepped forward and queried, "Norrington, is that you? Aye, though what are you doing here?"

Bootstrap hesitated, but he finally stepped out from behind Norrington, showing himself as he slowly shook his head and told him, "No, but we did come from there, as you can tell from my present form...but we do not wish to be your foe."

Gibbs gasped and Anamaria stared at Bootstrap Bill as she murmured, "So, you must be Bootstrap Bill, Will's father...your face looks like him a little. I trust you when you say that you don't wish to be our foe, but I cannot trust your actions as a prisoner of Davy Jones, now under the sway of the East India Company. As for your companion, Commodore James Norrington, I'm far less likely to trust him. No, I hardly think there is anything in this world that will convince us to trust you both...Chen, instruct your men to dispatch them."

Commodore James Norrington sighed and wondered what was worst, being so misunderstood and condemned when he had already seen the error of his ways or having such a lovely, exotic woman be the one to sentence him to death. He closed his eyes, as Chen approached, and muttered to his companion, "Well, I suppose you can't find a way out of this for me, Bootstrap Bill?"

Bootstrap shrugged when suddenly, from above, they heard the parrot screech, "Bootstrap Bill!"

Chen and his fellow countrymen halted while Gibbs and Anamaria gasped and gaped at each other before they turned to watch in amazement as old Cotten's parrot glided down to land onto Norrington's shoulders. The parrot cooed at the commodore before he turned to snap at the Cantonese sailors that had been circling around them. Chen shrugged and glanced over at Gibbs and Anamaria, who both frowned at the disconcerting sight, but they waved the sailors back. Chen relayed the orders in Cantonese and the Chinese pirates sheathed their swords, stepping off to the side as Anamaria and Gibbs strode forward toward Bootstrap and James. Bootstrap bowed his head while Norrington petted the parrot, eternally grateful as he started to consider that this bird might even be a good companion.

Gibbs cleared his throat and queried, "Uh...when did old Cotten's parrot come to you, Norrington?"

Norrington slowly nodded and responded, "He came to me early this morning, before dawn...after the storm. I do not know how such a little parrot managed to survive, flying in those winds, and…I suspect the worst must have occurred to his former master. This bird sought shelter with me and I will give him that, though I do not know what to name him or...if he had a name, before. I want to be true in that regard."

Anamaria sighed and murmured, "Not as far as we knew, Cotten certainly couldn't say it and the bird… was just a mouth as far as we were concerned. The parrot probably was never given a name if the poor old pirate took him in to serve him after his lost his tongue. In any case, this certainly does change things a little...we shall not harm you, but we must know everything. Why are you two here? Has the armada already arrived?"

Bootstrap lowered his head and replied, "Aye, the armada has already reached this island, on the far side...some of your fellow mates were there on that beach waiting, as far as I could see, though I could not discern whether any of them was my son or not. As for why we are here...well, in truth, we missed our mark-we were trying to reach the other beach instead, but not to further aid the East India Company. No, we wanted to create our own chance, however slim, of relinquishing the heart of Davy Jones from Lord Cutler Beckett."

Gibbs grunted and muttered, "Well, that may not help the East India Company, but how does that bode for us? I am doubtful that Davy wouldn't lash out at us, for the ills that we brought about and for his spiteful being...he has kept you, Bootstrap, and other pirates in miserable slavery to him and then damned them to his Locker."

Bootstrap shook his head and told them, "Ah, can you not realize how this whole event has affected Davy Jones, the tortures he knows now with another man possessing and holding, squeezing his heart and forcing him to do his bidding? I have seen his malice withered, in truth, these last few days...he came to know the state of bondage and I do not know whose pity was greater, Davy for his crew or his crew for Davy. In those first two days, after Cutler Beckett contacted him and revealed his possession of the heart, he brooded in his private quarters, staring and tapping at the keys on his organ while constantly winding and playing the seashell locket of Calypso."

Anamaria blinked and glanced off into the distance, thinking that for as far back as she could remember, many years, she had occasionally spotted her half-sister Tia Dalma clutching such a locket. She had never asked her about it, yet now that she understood Dalma's heritage, Anamaria started to sense that for all of this time, Dalma had been trying to come to terms with it. Such a thing had obviously been hard for her to do, considering the madness of that love that had doomed such powerful beings and had brought about her own existence. It was a chilling thought, to imagine that Dalma had been so lost and weary in pain and anger at such a young age, and had even managed to keep it a secret from her little half-sister, who was also a child of Calypso. Anamaria winced slightly, still unused to that thought, and moodily considered that Dalma had, perhaps, been better able to sympathize with the paradox and madness of love, when she had stolen Captain Jack Sparrow from Anamaria for a brief spell, but that certainly wouldn't have resolved all of Dalma's resentment.

Meanwhile, Gibbs whispered, "Go on with your tale, Bootstrap, I sense you hesitate now for some reason...what happened afterwards?"

Bootstrap turned to stare out at the sea as he explained, "Davy soon left his private quarters, he had to when Beckett called him to sail to Tortuga. He was still somber until...until he deliberately lied at Liar's Dice on one late afternoon, just as the sun started to set. It's our loophole, you know, to bet our years of servitude when we play that game...everyone who was able or free rushed over and, one by one, Davy Jones released them all to the afterlife, not to damnation in his Locker. However, I couldn't be released, not when I had already lost a game in which I laid stakes that I would serve Davy for all eternity to save my son, and there was another named Wyvern who is attached to the ship itself. With all of this, Davy Jones has changed, and he sent me out to contact Norrington soon afterwards when the commodore had appeared to be sympathetic to our terrible state."

Norrington quickly nodded and turned to face Anamaria as he asked her, "Now, please...what is your name, lady?"

Anamaria stared at him and answered, "Anamaria."

Commodore James Norrington sighed softly, but then he went on, "We haven't got much time left, Anamaria, we need to reach the beach as soon as possible to get back the heart while there's still opportunity. Lead us back, the way you came, we'll fight alongside you all in the fray, but only until we get a clear chance to attack Lord Cutler Beckett."

Anamaria glanced away towards the tropical foliage and murmured, "Come on, Gibbs, let's show them the way back...and everyone, be prepared to fight the moment we reach our destination."

The parrot on Norrington's shoulder bobbed his head and cried, "Swords and pistols! Got a sword, Bootstrap Bill?"

Bootstrap grimly grinned and replied, "I've got one and I'm going to use it, one last time."

James Norrington blinked and stared at Bootstrap, but he couldn't ask him about what he meant as they all set off, striding into the shadows of the grove, heading towards what awaited them in battle.

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**Favorite phrase: **"You just did that to me as a little punishment, for the heart...right?" Meet Norrington, Mr. Obvious. "The pirates and the East India Company are about to fight back there and we're farther from getting back the heart of Davy Jones than we ever were!" Meet Norrington and Bootstrap, the oddest pairing. "Well, I suppose you can't find a way out of this for me, Bootstrap Bill?" Say hello, parrot. "Swords and pistols! Got a sword, Bootstrap Bill?" Oh, well, at least Anamaria has met James Norrington, ready to transform into a certified pirate. 


	16. The Return

Here, at last, is the scene between Jack and Elizabeth after Jack's return from the purgatory of World's End and, of course, here is where _The Black Pearl_ and her ghostly crew pops up...though now with a limitation that may daunt Jack. Nevertheless, it's a sweet scene here.

**Disclaimer:**** Saw _Cars_ last night, it was so cute! Of course, most of it was the work of Pixar, Disney didn't manage to taint it...I do not own Pirates, though, on a completely unrelated topic.  
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**16. The Return**

Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg, and Mullroy glanced at each other and bowed their heads, touched by the tender words that Elizabeth had spoken for Captain Jack Sparrow, but they were sorrowful that such prose couldn't reverse his poor state. Meanwhile, Elizabeth had inhaled deeply when she finished her recitation and closed her eyes, the stillness undisturbed except for a soft breeze, as she bit her lips with a sob stuck in her throat. Yet suddenly, she heard a sharp, collective gasp from the four fellows surrounding her and Jack and she opened her eyes, which were instantly riveted upon the sight of one of Jack's fingers twitching...she reached down and grasped his hand, feeling new warmth in that touch, rubbing softly as if she hoped that such stimulus might stir him. Indeed, within a few moments, she felt his hand clutch hers and his head shook as his eyes started to flutter.

Elizabeth managed to smile as Jack's eyes opened, staring up at her with a slight grin, and then she swallowed before she whispered, "Hello, Jack...can you speak?"

Jack lightly pulled Elizabeth's hand towards him and kissed it as he replied, "Hello, luv, I think I can speak just fine."

Elizabeth inhaled and managed to murmur, "Oh, Jack...what about the rest of you, can you move?"

Captain Jack Sparrow let go of her hand and grunted as he slowly managed to push himself up into a sitting position, shaking his legs as he told her, "I think I'm fine in all the right places, my stomach's a little sore, but I did have some grass and rainwater while I was here. What about you, Elizabeth, how are you faring?"

Elizabeth blinked, unable to recall a time when Jack had ever asked someone about their well-being, but she answered, "I...I have been better, but I'm managing well enough. Still, I cannot...I cannot stand what I did to you, to have caused all of this, I am sorry, but I don't know how-"

Jack shook his head and explained, "Now listen, you don't have to say anymore than is necessary...you have already apologized. You did what you considered best for all, for the crew, and I cannot grudge you that, especially when I am still here and now free...my stint in World's End allowed me to have my soul back. Now, first things first...what are these two soldiers doing here?"

Mullroy bowed his head and informed him, "Captain, we are no longer soldiers, we are pirates under your and Elizabeth's service. In Port Royal, we were witnesses to the cruelty of Lord Beckett when he...he caused the death of Governor Swann."

Jack slowly nodded and sighed, though Elizabeth frowned when she wondered why he didn't seem surprised...at last, Captain Jack Sparrow muttered, "Right then, welcome to my crew. All right then, where are the others?"

Murtogg cleared his throat and responded, "We do not know where all of them are for sure, but we know that a few are down the beach that way, at the place where we were washed ashore from last night's hurricane...and they are probably already engaged in battle. A few minutes ago, we saw the armada of the East India Company approaching this island, with _The Flying Dutchman_ sailing alongside them as Lord Cutler Beckett has the heart of Davy Jones in his control."

Ragetti sighed and murmured, "'Tis a dire situation, captain, and we have no hope of fending them off."

Jack frowned and suddenly gasped as he staggered onto his feet, mumbling, "Oh, bugger it all, I completely forgot about them...I hope they made it all the way through...where did they end up?"

Pintel blinked and queried, "Hang on, Captain Jack, what's bothering you?"

Captain Jack Sparrow took a few steps forward, testing out his stride, before he spun around awkwardly to face them as he said, "Come on, all of you, follow me and you'll see."

He spun back around and strode off while Elizabeth Swann gasped and slowly stood off before she groaned and took off after him, now feeling slightly annoyed as the four pirates shrugged and followed after them to see what would happen next. Jack carefully walked amongst the slippery rocks, glancing out at the ocean, as he suddenly paused and smiled, now racing down into the surf as he waved his arms and then waved his hat, calling out as Elizabeth and the four fellows jogged up to stand alongside him. Before they could ask him about his odd activity, they saw a ship with black sails, out in the distance, turn around and sail towards them.

Elizabeth shook her head and asked, "This can't be right..._The Black Pearl_ was dragged down to the depths by the Kraken, how could it have come back?"

Jack turned to face her as he answered, "It came back with me, from World's End...the words that you spoke, Elizabeth, were more potent there than you could ever imagine. In that purgatory, it was the grim desert, but then...it was awash with the sea, this ocean, and now _The Black Pearl_ and all of those aboard it have returned, for a short while, to help us fight."

Elizabeth stared at him and said, "What...do you mean by 'all of those aboard it?"

Throughout this time, _The Black Pearl_ had been quickly approaching their beach while Pintel, Ragetti, Mullroy and Murtogg had shielded their eyes to see who steered, and now Murtogg cried out, "Sao Feng! I see Captain Sao Feng up there!"

Ragetti gasped and took out his wooden eye, rubbing it as he whispered, "I just saw Cotten, I swear I did...they're all ghosts, the men sailing _The Black Pearl_ at this moment."

Elizabeth blinked and gazed up at Captain Jack, feeling a premonition...he slowly nodded and pointed, so she turned around and looked out toward the shadowy form of the ship approaching, toward the figures of two old fellows standing at the rail on the starboard side, her eyes riveted at the sight of the gentleman with the big wig...her father, her poor father.

Meanwhile, _The Black Pearl_ was maneuvering itself through the shallows, turning about so that the starboard side would face Captain Jack Sparrow and the others standing in the surf while more pirate and sailor spirits gathered at that rail, though Governor Weatherby Swann and Teague Sparrow still stood at the head of the crowd.

Governor Swann stared down at his daughter, the tide washing against her ankles as she gazed up tearfully, and he called out, "My dear Elizabeth! It's good to see you well, my daughter!"

Elizabeth Swann wiped her eyes and cried, "It's good to see you too, father...I wish I could have been there in your last moments, to give you comfort, to say what needed to be said...if only I could have prevented it! Oh, I shouldn't dwell on it and I know that your return will only be for a short while, for as long as it takes to get rid of Beckett in this battle, but at least it gives me the chance to see you again, to say good-bye."

Murtogg and Mullroy saluted their former governor while Weatherby saluted in turn and Teague, leaning against the rail and gazing down at Jack and Elizabeth, softly smiled and exclaimed, "Guv'nor, I must say you have a wonderful daughter and I'm proud to see her with my son, they make a lovely couple."

Ragetti blinked and asked Pintel, "Wait a minute, did that fellow call Jack his son?"

Meanwhile, Jack and Elizabeth glanced at each and grinned as they grasped hands while Captain Sao Feng sighed and bellowed, "Excuse me, Captain Jack, it seems to me that there is a little problem to our former plans! If you haven't noticed, your ship isn't exactly solid, it's a spirit just like the rest of us, and I'm afraid that neither you nor your living companions can come aboard to help us in the attack! What are your plans now?"

Captain Jack Sparrow blinked and slowly turned away from Elizabeth, staring at the shadowy _Black Pearl _as he let go of her hand and staggered forward into the surf, reaching out to what he could never touch again as he queried, "No, it can't be...did I really go through all of that and I can't even return to tread its boards or turn her wheel for real in life?"

On the ship, Teague growled and shouted, "Ah, me son, did ya learn nothing from those trials? No, it has never been the ship itself that mattered to you, it was the idea of her and how you brought her to life, summed up in how you named her...from a once terrible ship, you released poor souls in bondage and once you resurrected this ship to a new form, a new occupation, you named her _The Black Pearl_ both to honor those souls and your own mother. This ship was just your freedom, Jack, on the open sea, yet you weren't completely free even when you had _The Black Pearl_...yet now that you have lost her, you have gained so much more than just freedom."

Jack lowered his hands and awkwardly turned his back on the ghost of his old ship, gazing at Elizabeth as he murmured, "Oh...you're right, father. I have my soul and I have what I need most in the world."

Elizabeth brushed back some of her hair, uncertain of what to say, while back on the ship, Maccus groaned and roared, "We're wasting time here, we need to end Beckett's tyranny as soon as possible before any more souls are lost!"

Jack quickly nodded and spun back around, pointing at Captain Sao Feng as he told him, "Right then, as the most able-bodied seaman onboard right now I'll let you be boss...first off, the armada is down that way, so sail further out into the ocean and then turn about and attack them from the rear, that'll help us out on the beach. Try to get rid of a couple of the ships, but leave the main ship with Beckett fairly untouched, we need to retrieve the heart of Davy Jones after all. Once you've caused enough damage, try to slip away from the armada and dock the ship close by the main landing ship, then swarm out and help us on the beach and wherever else. Is that understood?"

Cotten nodded and turned to the other pirates as he bellowed, "To your stations, men, and if more than one fellows have the same position, get the extras to take position, battle-ready! Practice your moves while we sail out, we'll experiment on what sort of damage we can cause as ghosts once the situation calls for it!"

Pintel gasped and yelled, "Cotten! You can talk! What happened to your parrot?"

Cotten turned and cried, "Old friends, what was lost has been returned to me! As for that old bird, I released him during the storm! If any of you can find him, I bid you to take good care of my faithful companion! Farewell, let's move out!"

Teague Sparrow and Governor Weatherby Swann waved good-bye as _The Black Pearl_ sailed off, back out into the sea, with Captain Jack Sparrow sighing for a moment before he turned about and trudged back up the surf while Elizabeth, Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg and Mullroy stared out for a few more moments. As Jack passed by them, Mullroy cleared his throat and waved his hand as the other three set off alongside the former soldier in the lead, while Elizabeth walked alongside Jack behind them.

Elizabeth rubbed Jack on the back and whispered, "Thank you for giving me the chance to see him again...I'm sorry you can't go back."

Captain Jack Sparrow shook his head and turned his head as he informed her, "I can go on without _The Black Pearl_, especially if you'll be traveling with me in my pirate life...I don't like to mention this, but what about Will?"

Elizabeth pulled Jack back, causing him to lean down enough for her to kiss him before she murmured, "We both realized that a life together could never work out for us...once this is done, Will shall return back to a simple life as a blacksmith in England and I'll be a pirate with you."

Jack grinned and gently muttered, "Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me. Come on, my Swann, we've got some fighting to do together, whatever will come."

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**Favorite phrase:** First words after all of this time: "Hello, Jack...can you speak?" "Hello, luv, I think I can speak just fine." As for Elizabeth's apology, I just sort of borrowed the premise from _Doctor Who_...love doesn't exactly mean never having to say you're sorry, but sometimes just being sorry is enough. Another thing done nicely was Jack's initial reaction after learning he can't come onto his _Black Pearl _with "No, it can't be...did I really go through all of that and I can't even return to tread its boards or turn her wheel for real in life?" Still, he has to admit that "I have my soul and I have what I need most in the world." Afterwards...everyone's always so surprised when they hear the ghost Cotten talking, naturally, but Elizabeth doesn't really notice with Jack back and when she tells him that she's going to be a pirate with him, well..."Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's life for me. Come on, my Swann, we've got some fighting to do together, whatever will come." 


	17. A Word With Davy Jones

Meanwhile...a good device, one that I employ often in this fan-fic, just wanted to share that...for while Elizabeth called Jack back from the dead, and while Norrington was whisked away by Bootstrap Bill, this scene between Mercer and Lord Cutler Beckett was also occurring. This is still before the battle begins, still fairly early in the morning...it's going to be a long day for everyone. In any case, Beckett mentions here that he can't spy Norrington anywhere from his vantage-point while Mercer remarks, '"I did, a few minutes ago..if you cannot see him now, then something has gone wrong and he has _disappeared_"'...the point where plot-lines diverge in timing. This scene, as mentioned in the title, has them calling upon Davy Jones and he also diverges a little as well to clear up matters...not a lot of favorite phrases, but the speeches of Davy Jones and Cutler Beckett are interesting.

**Disclaimer: The ugliest Disney villain...is it Davy Jones? Or is it some animated monstrosity? Or, to look beyond the visible features...shall we look behind the closed doors of the executive boardroom? I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean and, if you wonder why, you may brave the treacherous waters yourself and speak to the Disney executives.**

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**17. A Word with Davy Jones**

Mercer held a telescope up to his eye as Lord Cutler Beckett, with his casket chest containing the heart of Davy Jones tucked into his armpit, queried, "How are things forming?"

Mercer lowered the telescope and responded, "At this point, the longboats from _The Dauntless_ are setting out, with the longboats from Admiral Smith's _Malcolm's Maid_ already landing on the beach...soon enough, we shall set out with the sailors on our ship when the passage is clear."

Beckett nodded and held out his hand, as Mercer handed the telescope to him and the lord had his own look at the array...suddenly, he frowned and muttered, "I'm looking at the line of longboats from _The Dauntless_ and on the deck of the ship itself, but I don't see a sign of Commodore Norrington anywhere. Mercer, did you see him before?"

Mercer shrugged and leaned against the rail as he replied, "I did, a few minutes ago, but your eyesight is excellent, my lord...if you cannot see him now, then something has gone wrong and he has disappeared. My Lord Beckett, if I might be so bold, it has seemed to me that Norrington was a bit regretful at our last face-to-face meeting...I think he did not favor aiding us any longer. Could he be gone now to hatch a plot?"

Beckett growled and opened the chest as he told him, "Mercer, as always, your analysis is on the spot and I feel that if he has formed a plot, it would have been with Davy Jones. I shall call him now and question him...plus, I have to get him to lead an assault with his own 'men'."

Lord Cutler Beckett grasped the heart and gave it a squeeze as suddenly, there was a sharp pop and from behind him, he heard Davy Jones exclaim, "Aye, my lord, why have you brought me here? I thought you would be having a grand time, going out on shore with your crew to fight, yet here you are still on board your ship and now you've called me, probably to battle those foolhardy pirates in your stead! What sort of courtly coward would do such a thing?"

Lord Beckett sighed and poked the heart as he turned around, to see the satisfying sight of the powerful Davy Jones, might of the sea and the plague upon the souls of all honest and dishonest sailors, wincing at that touch. Of course, Davy could only stand there, several feet away from Beckett and the chest, unable to stride forward and snatch it away while stabbing the lord in the same way as the man had stabbed his own heart...what force could save a mortal pierced that way, especially one disfavored by any ancient demigod of sea or land?

Still, Cutler's will still held sway over the heart, and so Davy could only suffer the pain for now as the lord replied, "I am no courtly coward, Davy Jones, I have destroyed the reputations and the lives of many men without remorse, I have advanced the wealth of Britain and my own power during my tenure as the head of the East India Company, making headway in such heathen and untamed places as Africa, India, and China. Of course, we are still quite far from establishing colonies in those places, we can only continue with some small level trade in trinkets and slaves, but I realized awhile ago that we shall have to find some way to develop our conquest abilities all the same. So, I decided then that the best training ground for the future was here in the Caribbean, where despite some promising settlements as Port Royal, there were still eyesores in chaotic islands like Tortuga, so far out of the jurisdiction of any nation that they have become the breeding ground for pirates. Now the East India Company must finish what was begun by Christopher Columbus all those years ago...the Caribbean must be completely civilized and in order to do that, we must get rid of the rogue elements, the so-called 'native' pirates."

Davy Jones stared in horror at Lord Beckett and muttered, "You're mad, can you not see what that what you plan is impossible? The Caribbean can never be tamed, not in such places as this Bermuda Triangle, not with such spirits as those that haunt my locker. Yet you keep on, unable to see this, dooming so many souls in your narrow-minded quest for absolute power, seeing only the coins, but coins that curse all...the East India Company would have the world if nothing stands in their way, they would erase all of humanity if that would leave no obstacle to total power and control! Oh, I was wrong, you're no courtly coward...you're a monster, but less than that, the head of the monster, the eye of the monster, the pinkie itself with your puny height! Yet we _see_ you, Beckett, we see the monster behind you, but not just the spirits can see you, the pirates can as well...those people on that island may be few, but they have eyes and voices and hands, to cry out in battle as they fight, using their eyes to aim straight at you! Today may not end well for us, but the pirates are out there now...the pirates have come out of the shadows because the monsters have chased them out...and now the pirates are ready to challenge the monsters."

Lord Cutler Beckett grinned and shifted the chest tight against him, using his other hand to point at Davy Jones as he cried, "Aha! Your words reveal the conspiracy set against me, you sympathize with those pirates even when they were the first to dare steal your heart, and now you have aligned yourself into giving them aid! Mercer, are you getting this down?"

Davy Jones spun about and saw that Mercer, having folded and laid aside the telescope on a table that was kept on the deck of _The Spear_ for daily administrative duties, was now leaning over this table, a feather pen firmly gripped in his hand as he quickly finished up his shorthand diction of Davy's words, dipping the pen back into a crusty inkwell as he replied, "Yes, my lord. Now, Mr. Davy Jones, we shall proceed: have you ever contacted Commodore, formerly Admiral, James Norrington on grounds of influencing him to serve your cause?"

Davy sighed and turned to face Lord Beckett as he boldly told them, "Aye, I did indeed send one of my most trusted, and one of my last few men for that matter, to visit Norrington for his aid."

Lord Beckett frowned and queried, "What do you mean by one of your last few men?"

Davy nodded and responded, "Do you remember when your armada caught up with me just the other day, how my _Flying Dutchman_ had been floating still in the water for so long? That wasn't just because I didn't feel like budging during those days, no, it was also because there weren't enough hands to get her moving straight-away. You see, I have loopholes in my contracts of service with the souls that worked my ship and, just a few evenings before you found me, I had released almost all of them to the afterlife through these loopholes. Now I have about 2 sailors left, Bootstrap Bill and a fellow named Wyvern, who cannot be called upon to budge from his post in any case since his post is the ship itself...you might say he's now integral to the structure now, _The Flying Dutchman_ would break apart and crumble to dust on the water if he was sent on his way."

As Lord Beckett fumed over this, Mercer wrote down the last words before he glanced up and, for the sake of the accounts, he inquired, "Is that the same Bootstrap Bill as William Turner Senior?"

Davy Jones bowed his head toward Mercer and muttered, "That's right, the very same fellow, he is a good pirate."

Cutler growled and bellowed, "Never mind them now, there's no reason why we should use up manpower to retrieve Norrington and this Bootstrap when we have a battle to take care of! As for you, Davy Jones, I order you to enter the battle and lead the attack of the main landing party!"

Davy shook his head and informed him, "No, that's just not possible...I may have forgotten to mention this, but when I was first transformed into my form, a limitation was placed upon me, so that I couldn't abuse my power, that I could only set foot on dry land for only the span of a day every 10 years. And, unfortunately for you, such an opportunity will not arise for many years to come...you hold my heart, my lord, surely you can tell that I do not lie about that at least."

Lord Cutler Beckett slammed the lid of the casket-chest shut, causing Davy Jones to groan now that his heart was shut away from him, and said, "Yes, I can tell that you do not lie, much as I hate how this will affect my plans. You may go back to your ship, I will call upon you after we finish this battle...unless there is any way you could fire cannonballs onto the beach?"

Davy Jones smiled and exclaimed, "_The Flying Dutchman_ may be able to sail underwater, but we cannot handle shallows too well and the range of our cannons is hardly sufficient to fire upon the pirates, a same limit that surely plagues you and the rest of your armada as well! I'll see you later, Lord Cutler Beckett, though I hope it will be under more...advantageous time."

With that, the legendary figure disappeared as Lord Beckett rolled his eyes in disapproval before he tossed the casket over toward Mercer, who managed to catch it in time, as he yelled, "You're staying onboard and you'll be keeping Davy's heart until I return! I'll be leaving in a few more minutes...I just hope that they don't completely annihilate the pirates before I land because I still would want my chance to take a few down, especially if Norrington should be among them, the wretched fool turning pirate on my watch!"

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**Favorite phrase: **For a taste of evil, Lord Cutler Beckett's speech about the 'progress' of the East India Company really is terrible, especially considering the history behind it...yet with Davy Jones, here is a little fantasy with "Oh, I was wrong, you're no courtly coward...you're a monster, but less than that, the head of the monster, the eye of the monster, the pinkie itself with your puny height! Yet we _see _you, Beckett, we see the monster behind you, but not just the spirits can see you, the pirates can as well..." And going on, "Today may not end well for us, but the pirates are out there now...the pirates have come out of the shadows because the monsters have chased them out...and now the pirates are ready to challenge the monsters." Of course, then it sort of gets absurd with Mercer just jumping into his secretarial role right there on deck, just before a battle, and Davy just keeps disappointing Beckett again and again until he gets frustrated, though he doesn't have an undead monkey to shoot like Jack does...instead, Beckett says, "I still would want my chance to take a few down, especially if Norrington should be among them, the wretched fool turning pirate on my watch!" Well, naturally, anybody would turn pirate with Beckett around. 


	18. The First Foray

Hello again! Here is the prelude, the actual event, and then the aftermath of the first foray, the first charge onto the beach for a little fighting and then a retreat to regroup afterwards. (This is the 18th century, after all, they still used proper rules of engagement and such routines were even used in the American Revolution by the British, which the Americans took full advantage of. In fact, there is one instance where a British soldier almost had the chance to fire at Washington, but he didn't because he was an officer; then, in another battle, an American soldier had no qualms about shooting the British commander there.) This is also the point where Anamaria, Gibbs, Norrington, and Bootstrap Bill join up with the main fighting group...obviously with some tension on both sides. The story there, of course, shall play out now.

**Disclaimer:**** Hope you all had a Happy New Year! My resolution:...hmm, that's a tough one, I've never really made a resolution before. Well, possibly, to gain the rights of...no, that won't work. Disney owns Pirates of the Caribbean and so I'm going to have to think of something else...****  
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**18. The First Foray**

While this exchange had been going on with Lord Cutler Beckett and Davy Jones, the score of sailors and soldiers from _Malcolm's Maid_, led by Admiral Smith, had beached their longboats and rowboats onto the main landing beach. They had leaped out of their boats, quickly crouching as they pushed the boats forward to form a barricade as they squatted in the surf, waiting for a moment. When there was no initial attack, Admiral Smith signaled and several sailors grasped one of the boats and dragged it forward, to serve as a mini-barricade, while the rest fanned out ahead, marching forward with their muskets clutched in their hands. Meanwhile, Admiral Smith glanced down at the bayonet point mounted on his musket, checking to see that its point was well sharpened, but at least he always had his sword sheathed at his side so that he could use it should the bayonet prove ineffective. When they had advanced further up the beach past the tide-line, Admiral Smith whistled sharply and the royal marines crouched, aiming their muskets into the tree-line. Within the grove, the Cantonese sailors were similarly spread out, though under cover of dense bushes, while the Caribbean pirates were gathered beneath a tree at a point where they could see out toward the middle of the beach and the figure of Admiral Smith.

Captain Hector Barbossa squinted at the sight of the fellow and muttered, "Huh, so that is the infamous Admiral James Norrington...no wonder Elizabeth broke off her first relationship with him."

Will Turner sighed and shook his head as he corrected, "No, that's not Norrington, I can tell that even from this far away...this is another man, though I know not why Lord Beckett has passed on the command of the East India Company's armada from Norrington to this stranger when he had regained his supposed honor for retrieving Davy's heart for Beckett. Now I am uncertain as to the course that this stranger will take in his attack against us...whether or not he will be aggressive in this attack from a hatred of us pirates, but then again, as the lord has appointed him commander, perhaps that should not be the source of any doubt."

Tia Dalma, still lounging against the tree as Marty tended to her in her weak state, muttered, "Ah, my good Will, you are perhaps not the best judge as to the reason why Norrington has been removed from his command...you were unconscious during the encounter that Elizabeth and a few of the others, who are not present with us, had with the former Admiral...I was not there either, but Elizabeth told me everything about that meeting and since then, I have considered the events and now this new commander gives me proof to my theory. Perhaps the reason why Norrington has been removed from power is because he has changed...he let you all go, did he not? There was no reason, except for the pleas that Elizabeth made to him, but which may have shown Norrington the error of his ways...perhaps it is the same as it was with Captain Sao Feng. You witnessed his final moments, Will, how he repented...though there are some true villains in the Caribbean, corrupted to the pit of their souls like Lord Cutler Beckett, I do not think that Norrington is like them. Do you think he has been so completely corrupted?"

Will, suddenly recalling how Commodore James Norrington had first released Captain Jack Sparrow from the gallows after he and Elizabeth had challenged him, slowly shook his head as Barbossa shrugged and remarked, "Well, never mind that fellow, he is of no use and of no threat to us now...come on, let's charge them, I should dare say that we'll be a match for them."

With that, Captain Hector Barbossa whistled and Lin attempted to fire a pistol, not even sure if the shot would go off properly after being soaked from that hurricane, but it did fire smoothly enough, though it only did hit a private. With that, the 10 Cantonese sailors cried out and sprang out of their separate hiding places, charging forward as several soldiers bellowed and attempted to fire their muskets, some hitting marks, though it caused little effect with the blessing placed upon these Chinese pirates. After that, some of the soldiers were soon confronted and cut down by the pirates while Barbossa and Will joined in the fighting, dueling with such maelstrom force that soon Admiral Smith called out for a retreat. With cover fire, the royal marines retreated back behind the barricades of their boats and Barbossa roared for his own pirates to step back into the tree-line for a break.

As they stepped back, watching the sailors of the East India Company warily, Will Turner suddenly noticed that Marty was with them and not only that, but he was carrying several packs...he soon realized that in the course of the fighting, Marty had managed to slip past the fighters and snatch up the packs of the wounded and the dying for their supplies. Thus, during the break, the pirates had rations and beverages (some water canteens, but mostly flasks of cider and rum) passed around between them, the first nourishment for almost a day, though Will had the good sense to reserve some of the flasks and food to the side, should any of the others return. Even as he did this, he wondered how he would take it, the possibility of Captain Sparrow Jack being alive and then returning alongside Elizabeth...he would manage to get used to it, he knew, he did wish them happiness in their new lives...and he would move on to his new life after all of this, whatever it would be.

Barbossa, now in a good mood with a relatively full stomach, raised his flask and toasted the efforts of both the Cantonese sailors and Marty, the former chatting amiably in their language while Marty tended to Tia Dalma, feeding her as she muttered, "Ah, so the grim desert is saturated, at last, the tide carries away the ship...but this won't do at all, their forms cannot make impact...I shall have to stiffen them, to a solid point...it must work..."

Will frowned as he stared at her, wondering what she was talking about, when suddenly they heard a rustling in the bushes behind them. The Cantonese conversation died down and everyone laid aside their meals as Barbossa stood up, positioning himself in a fighting stance as he yelled, "Show yourselves! Be you friend or foe?"

There was a pause for a moment and then they heard Gibbs' voice call out, "We're friends and allies, no harm, it's just us!"

Marty stood up and shouted, "Joshamee! It's good to hear you!"

With that, some of the bushes were pushed aside and Joshamee Gibbs, followed by Chen and a fellow Cantonese sailor, stepped out as he said, "Aye, and it's good to see all of you...or near enough. How did the battle go?"

Captain Hector Barbossa shrugged and replied, "Well enough, as those that were here when the first attack began are still standing, though there has been only one so far. Ah, well, at least we managed to snatch some refreshments for ourselves! Care for a bite or for something to soothe your thirst?"

Gibbs nodded, but then he sighed and asked, "Well, soon enough...what about Captain Jack Sparrow and the others, have they not come back yet?"

Will Turner shook his head and answered, "No, not yet, Elizabeth set off after him and then those soldiers and Pintel and Ragetti followed...they'll come back. It'll be good to have you and Anamaria, as well as those in your group, help us in this next fight. We should be going up against a new wave of soldiers just landing."

Gibbs glanced back and muttered, "Ah, yes, about that...while the others are still behind me, I should take the time to mention that we have met a couple of people. Now listen, they want to help us and perhaps they can be good allies, seeing as how they...sort of want the same thing we want and how they hate Beckett as well...uh, they are sort of pirates. I just wanted to warn you all so that when you see them, none of you will overreact and attack them, all right?"

Captain Barbossa frowned and queried, "What are you talking about? Who are they and what do you mean by overreacting and attacking them?"

Gibbs opened his mouth when suddenly, there was a thrashing noise behind him and he had to leap out of the way as several Cantonese sailors stormed into the clearing, whipping aside a branch in their way as they muttered to themselves and then to Lin and the others that had just participated in the battle. Tia Dalma glanced up and smiled as everyone then heard the sound of Anamaria yelling and arguing, with another man whose voice that almost all of them didn't recognize, but Will gasped for a moment as he did recognize the voice...yet he couldn't be here, why would he be with them?

Just then, Anamaria's face appeared as she slapped aside the branch and gingerly stepped into the clearing, but then she turned back to yell, "There, I'm out of that mess, and it wasn't a problem for me, not one word of complaint this entire way! But you, you just kept moaning and just had to rip off the buttons on your jacket in your haste to toss it aside, and then you cried out that your wig was too soggy and so you threw that away! All of that may be an improvement, I'll grant, but you didn't have to bemoan everyone and everyone while doing it, you chose to get involved and this is piracy, get used to it!"

At that moment, the former Commodore, though now bereft of rank that he had cast aside with the emblems on his naval jacket, James Norrington stumbled into the clearing, getting his forehead whacked by the branch in the process, as he cried, "My lady, I hardly did moan about all of that, all I did was remark upon the strangeness of my circumstances and then you started taunting me, calling me a weakling and stomping on my relinquished possessions! Oh, you surely never did complain as you were too busy trying to insult me into giving up my new profession! No, I have chosen piracy for my sake and for the sake of others, and I am getting used to it, just give me a few more hours!"

Anamaria glared at Norrington and hissed, "Listen to his fine words, I'm telling you all, he's just too soft to last long! I may have stomped once or twice on his wig in the dirt, but that was nothing compared to what others are going to do to him, I'm just preparing him to face alienation and belligerence from the rest of the world, to face the harsh life and all that it entails! If he can't handle it, then let's just let him go back now!"

However, hardly anyone had been listening to the exchange as they stared at Norrington, at the disarray of his clothes and his natural hair, the assortment of his weapons and his gear, but most especially at the parrot on his shoulder...at last, Lin interrupted the silence and murmured, "Sir, I know little of you except of what others have said, but...you do know whose parrot that belonged to? The old man?"

Norrington glanced at the parrot and rubbed his feather as he replied, "Yes, for though Will and some of the others may not have mentioned it, I was part of their crew for awhile under Captain Jack Sparrow...I know this was Cotten's parrot and I suspect what may have happened to his owner. For this, and for other reasons, I have decided to become a pirate...to amend what I started."

Barbossa gazed at Norrington and slowly nodded while the parrot squawked, "Awk! Bootstrap Bill!"

Barbossa gasped and staggered back, but Will glanced up hopefully and took a few steps forward as, within the moment, the face of Bootstrap suddenly appeared and just as suddenly entered the clearing, moving swiftly and silently in the stooped stance of the forlorn figure. Will sighed and hugged his father, noticing that his slightly chilly flesh felt warmer off of the decks of _The Flying Dutchman_ while Bootstrap Bill awkwardly patted him on the back, wondering why Will seemed just as lonely as he did…but then his eyes were caught by the sight of Captain Barbossa. Bootstrap cleared his throat and lightly released himself from his son's embrace, nodding as he stepped towards Barbossa, who cowered slightly while everyone watched intently.

Bootstrap Bill halted a few inches from the captain as he whispered, "Hello, Hector...it has been many years since we've seen each other, when you tied me down to that cannon and yours was the strongest hand that pushed me out into the sea...dooming me to accept servitude under Davy Jones. I am still cold in the water, Hector, even when the bright sun shines on me...you stand there, having escaped death and even damnation so many times, while your victims haven't your luck at all. Look at me, old friend, is it every day that you meet a fellow that has suffered because of you? Hector, say something."

Barbossa breathed heavily, rubbing his forehead as he muttered, "I see you, Bootstrap Bill, and have seen you many times, in my dreams during my days under the curse of the Aztecs, underneath those waves...I have never truly escaped damnation, not when it came to remembering my victims. Now, I say to you...Bill, I cannot ask forgiveness, but I can do what little you may ask...you and Norrington wish to join our cause? So be it."

Bootstrap Bill raised his finger, pointing at Barbossa's chest as he asked, "And the heart of Davy Jones, my old friend, what say you?"

Barbossa hesitated for a moment before he groaned and answered, "Yes, we will give it back to Davy Jones...whatever else may come of that."

Bootstrap Bill nodded and turned to face Will, who stared in disbelief at his father while the man sighed and indicated a private spot where they might speak for the rest of this interlude. Meanwhile, Norrington sat down beside Barbossa, who was still strained from his conversation with Bootstrap that he listened to the strategies of the former commodore and soon grew appreciative of this new advice and aid from this ally. On the other side of the clearing, Anamaria was sitting beside her sister Dalma, though she was glaring at the sight of her two former enemies, Barbossa and Norrington, conversing in such a way...yet her eyes were soon drawn by the bright plumage of the parrot. Anamaria blinked and, recalling the words that her sister had spoken in the hurricane, she turned to query her by what she meant when she had said that 'you would follow that bird'...but Tia Dalma, having finished her spell, was tired and had drifted off into a nap.

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**Favorite phrases: **"Huh, so that is the infamous Admiral James Norrington...no wonder Elizabeth broke off her first relationship with him." Also, yay for Marty! He brings food! As for Tia Dalma, she knows a whole lot more than the others, "Ah, so the grim desert is saturated, at last, the tide carries away the ship...but this won't do at all, their forms cannot make impact...I shall have to stiffen them, to a solid point...it must work..." What's that? Also, the point where Gibbs tries to explain about what has happened, but then here come Norrington and Anamaria...who is right and who is wrong at this point? Probably doesn't matter, especially when Bootstrap Bill and Will get to see each other again...and then Bootstrap sees Barbossa again. "...I am still cold in the water, Hector, even when the bright sun shines on me...you stand there, having escaped death and even damnation so many times, while your victims haven't your luck at all. Look at me, old friend, is it every day that you meet a fellow that has suffered because of you? Hector, say something." Naturally, he has to make a deal to ward off such condemnation. Boo, Barbossa, boo. 


	19. Preludes to the Final Battle

Right, Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth, and their group still won't show up again in this chapter, but they shall return in the next installment. Here is where several forays, for the ghostly crew of _The Black Pearl _and for the main fighting partyon the landing beach, take place and this part certainly jumps around a bit to keep track of the different plot-lines. I am not in depth when it comes to action, as you can tell-I skim over the first attack of _the Pearl _and this second battle of the pirates against the second wave of marines, though I will have some action scenes come up when it comes to the main battle. There is mainly a few conversations between the pirates, and between Weatherby and Teague, concerning their feelings about the fighting and how they might fare...not much humor, especially when it comes to Bootstrap if you can understand that he's really thinking in a morbid mood, but there are some little moments with Norrington and Anamaria and...well, a little bit of unsuccessful 'target practice' for Beckett's soldiers. Still, Lord Beckett has just landed with the third wave, and he's ready to get serious, it's all or nothing for him now.

**Disclaimer:**** Disney owns Pirates, but they don't own the 'stiff upper-lip' of the British. Though I'm not British, I must admit that I have been quite influenced by them from Brian Jacques to Terry Pratchett to Doctor Who. Well, here we go with the 'stiff upper-lip' chapter.**

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**19. Preludes to the Final Battle**

As the ghostly ship sailed away from Captain Jack Sparrow and his group, the early morning mists were starting to fade with the advancing daylight and by the time they had sailed out into the open sea and turned about to circle around the island to sneak behind the armada, the fog had faded away enough so that they could see their forms in the piercing rays of the sun.

Governor Weatherby Swann gasped as he stared through his hands and said, "Oh, my goodness, I hadn't realized how changed I've become in death! We must be a ghastly sight, I just...I just can't imagine how we'll manage to be of any help."

Teague Sparrow slowly nodded, flexing his wisp of a hand as he murmured, "Now, guv'nor, we don't look all that bad...we're still of the same spirit and soul as we were in life, that's one good thing about this...we're just ghostly, not ghastly in the least. I know we look quite weak right now, like a wind could just shred us apart, but I'm certain we can do something to aid them in their battle, perhaps we may even be able to fight...if we can find out whether or not we can grasp or impact anything solid."

High above, they heard Wheelback call out, "Ship dead ahead! Prep the cannons and get ready to fight!"

Ogilvey smiled and turned to his assistants, the Twins, Clanker, Quittance and Crash as he ordered them to load their respective cannons while Penrod helped lug cannonballs over to them. Meanwhile, Maccus and Palifico called out to the other sailors, getting them to line up for the passing out of weapons, while Teague, Weatherby, and Cotten wandered over to the end of the long line.

Cotten stretched and remarked, "One good thing about being a ghost is that I feel pretty limber, you know, like I'm in good shape for a fight...no old pains or anything like that. Say, Governor Swann, are you sure you want to get yourself involved in this upcoming fight? You don't have to pick up a weapon, you know, I suppose you could just stick yourself to the side and stay out of trouble."

Weatherby shook his head and told him, "No, I won't stay out, I'm tired myself of feeling afraid and I'm dead...I suppose I can't really come to any real harm. Besides, I've hardly done anything to help out in this whole affair and I should be of some service, for the sake of my Elizabeth and protecting her future."

Teague raised his head and stared at Governor Swann, thinking for a moment that perhaps they should speak of that possible future as in-laws, when suddenly he blinked and cried, "Guv'nor! You're changing, it's...it's harder to see through you! You're getting solid!"

Weatherby frowned, but when he glanced down at his hands, he laughed and shouted, "Why, you are right! In fact, everyone is becoming more solid, and...I can almost see the wood! What's happening?"

All of the other spirits were examining each other, exclaiming over this change, while Captain Sao Feng strode toward the middle of the deck and waved his hands, getting everyone's attention as he roared, "Listen, I can feel the words in the air, I know what's going on! There was a woman with us, Tia Dalma, I'm sure some of you knew her or at least her reputation! She was traveling with us, with the former crew of Captain Jack Sparrow, and she was the one that brought Captain Hector Barbossa back to life! She is a powerful witch, her powers born from both Davy Jones and the goddess Calypso, and I think she sensed our presence! I believe that what is happening to us spirits is a spell, she is making us solid to enable us to make an impact in our forthcoming attack, and I personally thank her for this service! Back to business, let's get ready to fight and make such a tale of revenge from the lost souls of Lord Cutler Beckettt!"

The pirate spirits cheered and Governor Weatherby Swann felt thrilled, now more certain than ever that he wanted to fight and he gratefully accepted a sword from Maccus, not noticing that Teague and Cotten meaningfully glanced over at each other, both silently agreeing to keep watch over the governor. _The Black Pearl_ soon approached the rearmost ship, whose occupants cried out in horror and were unable to maneuver their ship out of the way in time, so swift was the ghostly ship coming towards them, and so _Pearl _crashed into the other ship, breaking quite a few boards as the bow even pierced through the deck. Of course, it wasn't quite solid, but it knocked some of the soldiers off of their feet, shocking these agents of the East India Company, yet it wasn't nothing compared to the upset that came upon them when the pirate ghosts swarmed off of _The Black Pearl_ and onto the other, attacking all of these men with such fervor that soon, this ship of the armada was permanently disabled.

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Once everyone had finished eating their breakfast, still with a few bags lying to the side for the absent members, Captain Hector Barbossa and said, "Right then, Lin and Chen, you two can organize your mates for the next fight...from here, I can see that the royal marines from Norrington's ship are landing on the beach right now to replenish the lost forces. Now, this time, we shall attack as quickly as possible, before all of the other longboats can land on the beach, and in full force to gain an element of surprise. As for the rest of us, we shall pair up in our duels to better watch each other's backs. Now, Marty will be a free agent to get more supplies and take care of Tia Dalma while you'll be with me, Joshamee Gibbs. As for you, James Norrington...we do appreciate your aid in switching sides, but we still need to keep watch over you and for that, you'll go with him, Anamaria."

Norrington and Anamaria gasped at the same time and then stared at each other while on the other side of the clearing, Tia Dalma stifled a laugh. With that, Barbossa told everyone to prepare to charge while Will Turner glanced over at Bootstrap Bill, who managed to smile…there had been no need for Barbossa to pair the father and son together.

So a few minutes later, as they crouched down in the bushes, Will turned to Bootstrap and murmured, "It's good to see you, father, I feared for you after what we did to Davy Jones...still, I never could imagine that he would change his ways after so many years tormenting poor souls. Well, whatever else, I'll make sure that we take care of Beckett and get back Davy's heart, for your sake, father. For when he gets his heart back, he'll have to set you free and then we'll go back to England together...we should never have come here. The pirate life was never for us."

Bootstrap's grin faded and he glanced away, deciding not to tell his son the truth of his fate, as he whispered, "Yes, my son, perhaps I should never have become a pirate, not when it brought both of us to such miserable fates. Still, we cannot entirely condemn the Caribbean for this, not when we have seen such beauty and have known such freedom here...I am content. I will be happy to see the shores of my old home again, to feel the peace in such a change, whatever end it will bring me."

Will blinked and stared at Bootstrap Bill, but then he shook his head, his father was just speaking of England, that was all, even if his words were so strangely somber...meanwhile, Captain Barbossa was stretching his arms, growling over his sore muscles as Gibbs muttered, "I know how you feel. I never thought that I would live so long when I joined up with the navy and then I wasted so many years, toiling as a lowly sailor before I was so rudely tossed out, all because of a few drinks. I've enjoyed my time as a pirate, for I have become respected even with my penchant for whiskey and now I see, more than ever, that my fears and my superstitions mean nothing."

Captain Barbossa nodded and told him, "Aye, Gibbs, I cannot believe how old I have become...in my days, I was the toughest and most ruthless pirate in these waters, but that brought me to my death. Yet here I am again, wise to the errors of my ways, and now I wish to make peace. Perhaps this will amend me, even if it'll kill me again."

On the edge of the clearing, Anamaria turned to gaze at James Norrington, who was absent-mindedly rubbing Cotten's parrot, who kept squawking, "Bootstrap Bill!" now and again. Suddenly, he noticed that she was staring and he groaned and cried, "Please, stop staring at me! I'm a pirate, I've got the parrot to prove that I've changed, so why is that so surprising to everyone?"

Anamaria shook her head and replied, "No, it's not just the parrot now...in the jungle, it was hard for me to see you, but when we walked out after you had thrown away your coat and your wig and I finally got another look at you, I couldn't believe my eyes. With the way your hair is so disarrayed, with the way your sword and pistols are so boldly displayed...you know, I have a spare bandanna. You better tie it around your forehead, just so you won't get sunburned up there."

Norrington blinked, unable to think of anything to say as she handed him a blue bandanna that he neatly tied around his forehead, with such quick ease as if he had already done it...he placed his blue tricorn hat back on his head and sat there, still stunned with the effects of his change as his parrot squawked, "Pirate's life for me!"

Soon, Captain Hector Barbossa roared and the pirates raced out onto the beach, launching into a fierce attack as the soldiers scrambled to defend themselves amidst the fury of the talented fighters. Despite the resentment between them, Anamaria and James Norrington proved to be a good fighting team, always wary and each saving the other's life several times. As for the sailors of _the Dauntless_, they could barely believe their eyes when they saw their former commander...quite a few of them surrendered at once and this second wave of attack soon retreated. Yet even as the pirates slipped back into the jungle, feeling unusually cheerful after another successful battle, the longboats from _The Spear_ were making their way toward the beach with Lord Cutler Beckett sitting at the bow of the lead boat, his chin raised and his cloak flipped to the side as he struck a heroic pose, thinking to himself that the East India Company would soon make a legend out of him...the man that tamed the Pirates of the Caribbean.

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As Captain Sao Feng stood beside the wheel, staring out at their next target while Koleniko piloted the ship toward this second ship in the rear of the armada, Teague Sparrow and Governor Weatherby Swann were standing together, leaning against the wall of the quarterdeck as they stared at nothing. Though they were speaking in different languages, they knew from the words that the former crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ were bragging about their last attacks and they knew from the emphasis, the emotion, and the chuckles of the former crew of 'the Empress were bragging as well.

Finally, Governor Swann sighed and whispered, "I can't believe...I used that sword, back there, I am dead and yet I harmed...I can't handle this."

Teague slowly nodded and told him, "I know how you feel, guv'nor...with my son being the pirate that he is, you've probably forgotten that I was never one. When I was alive, I was just a simple man living in the countryside and drinking. However, ever since my death several years ago, I have seen such things...the afterlife isn't all peace and quiet. I never fought back there, though, this was the first time my hand touched a sword...it's unpleasant, that it is, but I cope with the idea that it has given me a few more minutes of existence on this side. It's not living, oh no…no man should live with nothing except fighting and death, perhaps that is part of the reason why Lord Cutler Beckett is as horrid as he is."

Weatherby helplessly shrugged and remarked, "Perhaps you are right, but I do not know for sure about such mysteries...perhaps we probably shouldn't ponder so much about existence, especially when we must keep in mind that this is only temporary here. Still, I think I shall stay on the ship in this next fight, just to keep myself away from the bloodshed...the only place where we'll really have to give it our all is when we reach the beach."

Teague patted Governor Swann on the back while _The Black Pearl_ speedily approached the second ship, just moments away from launching another fierce attack. Yet time was running out for the pirates on the main landing beach as the third wave of royal marines from _The Spear_, led by Lord Cutler Beckett himself, landed on the beach.

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The pirates settled down from their quiet celebration in the clearing beyond the landing beach and once more broke apart into their pairs while they resolved that this time, they would all rush out at the same time as the soldiers did. Captain Hector Barbossa glanced at their adversaries, as he barely flinched when Jack the monkey jumped up on his shoulder, while the captain shook his head at the size of the force and he squinted as he studied Lord Beckett from afar, gauging his strength.

Finally, Barbossa turned to Gibbs and muttered, "He may look a little ugly, but I've heard about him...he's brutal."

Gibbs blinked and glanced around as he queried, "Did...did Captain Jack Sparrow tell you about him?"

Barbossa cleared his throat and lowered his voice, Jack the monkey jumping away to play somewhere else, as he responded, "Well, many years ago when we first met...he was still sensitive, then, about being known as a pirate and about his brand. Still, he did like to sort of brag that he had given as much as he had received...I don't know if it's true or not, but he told me that right after that Beckett fellow branded him on his arm, he managed to snatch away the branding iron in a struggle and branded Beckett on the back of his neck! I never knew what to think...what about you?"

Gibbs shrugged and told him, "Well, that isn't exactly the strangest tale I've heard either from or of Jack...I may very well believe it, especially when Beckett certainly does exist and there would be real proof that Jack had done such a thing, should we ever get the chance to pull off the lord's wig and brush aside whatever real hair he has to look at the back of the neck."

Barbossa chuckled while a short distance away, Anamaria led James Norrington over toward Tia Dalma, though he was mainly following her out of a strange fondness that he was growing for her, and the pair sat down beside Dalma while Marty cleared his throat and stood up, walking away to give them privacy. Dalma had pulled out her necklace, which she had kept hidden throughout this trip, and revealed the seashell locket...Anamaria stared at that locket and sighed softly to herself, not really noticing that she was clutching Norrington's hand as he inhaled deeply, glad that the parrot was quiet right now.

At last, Tia Dalma managed to ask, "You know what this is, don't you, Anamaria?"

Anamaria slowly nodded and answered, "You...you used to wind it up and play it for me, sister, when I was so young and lonely...you told me it was our mother's locket. It was given to her by Davy Jones, was it not?"

Dalma opened up the locket, staring at the gears as she replied, "Yes, it was, though now...if I see him this day, perhaps I'll give it back to him."

James shuddered and, perhaps at this sensation, Anamaria suddenly realized that she was holding Norrington's hand and quickly pulled it out of his grip as she brushed her hand on her trousers, biting her lips. Meanwhile, unnoticed, Tia Dalma smiled softly to herself and tucked her locket back into her shirt as nearby, Jack the monkey cackled and jumped out onto the beach, romping around for a few minutes while the soldiers did some target practice in an attempt to shoot the monkey.

Barbossa, watching, chuckled softly...you can't shoot an undead monkey.

Finally, Lord Cutler Beckett growled and halted the target practice as he raised his saber, roaring as the soldiers stormed forward and so, even though they were starting to grow weary from these last few rounds, Captain Hector Barbossa had no other choice but to bellow in turn as the pirates charged to meet the attack.

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**Favorite phrase: **The first part, I admit, is a little awkward-why, look, we must be ghastly! Oh, look, we're changing! Wait, I think I know why-just had to get that out of the way. Of course, it's more serious with Bootstrap...he's not thinking of England, he's thinking that he's had a good life, despite everything, and that he wants a little peace. With Norrington, I just thought it might lighten the mood, "Pirates life for me" as the parrot says, while Beckett approaches, thinking that he'll be remembered as 'the man that tamed the Pirates of the Caribbean'. The conversations afterward, between Teague and Weatherby and then between Gibbs and Barbossa do have their merits, especially as Gibbs does remark that "Well, that isn't exactly the strangest tale I've heard either from or of Jack", but you still can't beat 'target practice in an attempt to shoot the monkey. Barbossa, watching, chuckled softly...you can't shoot an undead monkey.' 


	20. The HardPressed Fighters

Ah, the return of Captain Jack Sparrow, and just in time! Here is where the fighting party of Caribbean pirates are being hard-pressed by the Marine forces, hence the title, and like the previous chapter, this one will jump around a lot between the different plot lines.Actually, there are a lot of little events, some pirates are slightly compromised, other pirates team up and grow closer, a few pirates get separated from each other, but mostly some things will have to wait to be settled...this is an awkward, right-in-the-middle of everything chapter, but they are some good little scenes and sayings.

**Disclaimer:**** How much longer can I keep up this Disney thru-line? Well, let me see...awk! The sky is falling! The sky is falling! Run away, Disney made a stupid computer-animated movie to try and get out of their dependence on Pixar, but it stunk miserably! Still, now Pixar is under Disney control...and, even with everything, 'Meet the Robinsons' looks like it might be a good movie, though predictable future movie. Disney owns Pixar and Pirates, but they don't own Parrots. Or Chickens.**

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**20. The Hard-Pressed Fighters**

As they met in battle, James Norrington and Anamaria were fighting side by side once more, completely surrounded by soldiers that jeered at her, causing her to lash out at them in such a rage without caution, exposing her vulnerable areas. Several times, Norrington narrowly managed to ward off a slash that would have cut deeply through her side or chest, though she barely noticed while his parrot, unbalanced by the bounds and quick movements, was forced to abandon Norrington's shoulder and fly up to the air, soaring over the battlefield.

Will Turner glanced up briefly at the bright plumage, but quickly returned his attention to his duel as he parried another blow, then used the blunt end of his pistol to club a fellow that had gotten too close to him. On the other side, Bootstrap Bill darted forward and jabbed a fellow while Will sensed the movement and thought to himself that he certainly had inherited his father's skills, which made him smile a little. They were useful enough for survival, here and now, but he knew that they weren't much good in real life, or at least the sort of life he did want now...who cared whether or not a blacksmith could duel? Suddenly, he heard a little grunt behind him and he tensed slightly, wondering if something had gone wrong, but when he heard his father continue fighting, he went back to his own duels without concern.

Behind Will, Bootstrap Bill grimaced slightly and shook his head, reaching down to grip the hilt sticking out of his chest and pull it out, the royal marine staring in horror as Bootstrap muttered, "I'm afraid to say that such a little prick isn't going to stop me just now...I'm a resilient pirate."

A few feet away, the fiercest attack of the royal marines was heaped upon the obvious leaders of the pirates, yet Captain Hector Barbossa and Joshamee Gibbs managed to withstand the worst of it despite their protesting muscles. However, at one point, Captain Barbossa yelped as his foot slipped in the sand and he barely managed to parry the blow that would have cut him down, yet he could feel that his ankle was nearly broken. The tide was now turning against the pirates and they were forced to retreat back up the beach, their backs moving closer to the tree-line, yet the soldiers wouldn't relent and allow a break in the fighting this time. Lord Cutler Beckett was determined to wear them down and crush them now...Marty was captured, held in the grips of one of the soldiers as another man held a bayonet ready for Beckett's attention to be aware of the prisoner. Still, Beckett was right now completely focused on the main party of Caribbean pirates, huddling close together yet still bristling with their weapons.

Barbossa, wincing over his painful ankle, turned to face Will and muttered, "Well, here we all are...former enemies and old friends, old and young, from all places and yet here we are on this lonely little island. What do you make of that?"

Will shook his head as he replied, "No, I've got my father and I still have strength to fight...I'm not making an end of that, not at all."

Barbossa nodded and smiled...if things had been different with Will Turner, he might have been a good pirate, but he was still too good for all of that.

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As the pirate spirits returned to the ship, Wheelback clambered down the ratlines and yelled, "Everyone, we've got to hurry and ship out, the others are trapped over there on the beach!"

The pirates gasped and glanced at each, nodding firmly as Captain Sao Feng roared, "Quick turn to the wheel, Koleniko, get the cannons prepped again, Ogilvey, and everyone prepare to fight again! Maccus, you'll be leading the charge, now let's move!"

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Meanwhile, on top of a sand dune half a mile away from the fight, Pintel shaded his eyes and bellowed, "Aye, looks like they're penned in over there!"

Captain Jack Sparrow rubbed his forehead as he snapped his compass close, which he had been using to get them back here, and queried, "Any sign of my ghost ship?"

Ragetti nodded, pointing out to sea as he cried, "Yes, captain, they're now moving straight to the beach!"

Jack sighed in relief and muttered, "Just in time for us. How many soldiers are we up against?"

Mullroy squinted at the mass and exclaimed, "Hard to say, captain! Still, I may grant that it's over fourscore still!"

Elizabeth Swann shook her head and remarked, "That may be a little tough, but we've probably faced worse odds before...we may almost be defeated, but we've got Captain Jack Sparrow on our side now and that always counts for something."

Jack cleared his throat and tried to smile at her as he told her, "Yes, luv, I believe you're starting to get the hang of that...just stick close to me and maybe my luck'll hold true right now. Now then, I believe we shall head off with a good, old-fashioned charge...any volunteers?"

Murtogg waved his hand and Captain Jack Sparrow nodded so that Murtogg, grinning, raised his sword and shouted as he raced down the sand dune, closely followed by Mullroy, Ragetti, and Pintel as they yelled at him to slow down. Jack and Elizabeth stared after them for a moment before she grasped his hand and grinned at him until, together, they raised their hands and their swords and called out as they jogged down the dune, now racing alongside and then ahead of the two pairs, Sparrow and Swann soaring into the fray, the soldiers spinning about in surprise to face them.

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While the battle had been going on, Davy Jones had been brushing the keys of his organ, listening to the discordant notes in conjunction with the distant noises of the battle. In a little while, he tried to close his mind to the fury that was certainly taking place as he wound up his locket again and again to hear its music, but he couldn't forget the insane words of Lord Cutler Beckett, couldn't forget that men were surely losing their lives on that beach. At last, Davy Jones picked up the locket and placed it back into its hiding place among his tentacles as he stood up and clambered out onto the deck, heading over to the barnacle wall inhabited by Wyvern, the old spirit that had attached himself to the internal structure of _The Flying Dutchman_.

Wyvern opened his eyes and muttered, "Ah, I thought you would be coming here to visit with me soon. If you wish to know, the battle is going poorly for the pirates now, even that is quite obvious from the viewpoint of this old ship."

Davy slowly nodded and said, "I thought as much...any sign of Norrington or Bootstrap Bill?"

Wyvern squinted and murmured, "Yes, I think I can see them fighting, but wait a moment...look toward the stern on starboard side, I think something is approaching from that direction."

Davy Jones blinked and glanced off in that direction, then he grinned and exclaimed, "Ah, Wyvern, it's _The Black Pearl_...but it's a ghost ship! What is this apparition and what propels it onward...Wyvern, are they heading this way, are they coming for me?"

Wyvern managed to shake his head as he replied, "As far as I can tell, their course is directed towards the beach...whoever they are, they are focused on the biggest threat, they are coming for revenge upon Beckett and to save these pirates. Thus, what propels _the Pearl_ has to be the shades of pirates."

Davy groaned softly, wondering for a moment...if some were from his crew, perhaps they hadn't been forced to this, perhaps they had chosen to do this errand for a brief span of haunting. He was relieved at this thought, that he hadn't sent them to another doom in the afterlife, while Wyvern's eyes widened and he gasped.

Davy Jones spun and queried, "What else do you see?"

Wyvern swallowed and slowly responded, "I see, running towards the beach...it is Captain Jack Sparrow. He is alive, with his soul intact, he is among his friends again...he escaped the Kraken and death."

Davy frowned for a moment, almost jealous that Jack could have had such luck, but he shook his head and told Wyvern, "That doesn't matter...our debts were settled. The Kraken did swallow him, but perhaps the lucky captain was born again if he managed to cut his way out of that gut...and if he did find a way into World's End. Well, this is the Bermuda Triangle, so that is how it must have occurred and perhaps it shall be for the best if he has brought about this amazing turnabout...these pirates may have a chance and, perhaps, so may I in the end. Wyvern, if something does happen to me...be prepared to release your hold on the ship and allow yourself to depart."

Wyvern bowed his head and Davy Jones turned away, heading over to the rail where he could watch how these events would play out and where he could be ready, should anyone call for him.

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Meanwhile, even though they were completely surrounded, the pirates could hear the cries and bellows in the distance and Joshamee Gibbs gasped as he shouted, "I know that yell! It's Captain Jack Sparrow, he's back and he's charging at the soldiers to give us reinforcement!"

Captain Hector Barbossa blinked, as Jack the monkey cackled, and remarked, "Jack, charging into a battle? That certainly doesn't sound like the old Jack that I used to know...what sort of madness has gotten into him now?"

Will Turner sighed and replied, "I...I heard Elizabeth yelling out as well, right in sync with him...they're together. That's why Jack's changed, because he...he has someone to love and who loves him."

Bootstrap Bill patted his son on the back while the parrot squawked, "Bootstrap Bill!"

James Norrington turned and stared at his parrot, recalling how he had been wondering what he should name the bird...he shook his head of that thought and unsheathed his sword as he cried, "Come on now, everyone, let's get back into this fight! If the East India Company is being attacked on both sides, then these soldiers are ambushed! They have nowhere to go and we've got a real chance!"

The pirates murmured in agreement and Captain Barbossa bellowed, answered in turn by the others, as they felt revitalized with the hope of victory now, now that Captain Jack Sparrow was back, now that the battle might soon end with Lord Cutler Beckett in as tight a spot as they were in before...and that they might be able to grab the heart of Davy Jones. They charged and renewed the fight as, in the middle of the troops, Lord Beckett started to tremble...he was furious and frightened, everything he had been longing for was now threatened, the future of the East India Company, the expansion into new colonies, and his own advancement. The future would be based on the outcome of this engagement and he wasn't willing to give up without a fight, especially when it was these accursed pirates that were bringing this doom. He tightened his grip on the chest containing Davy's heart and prepared himself to face whatever might come his way, be it pirate or monster...though he would have never have expected a ghost.

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By this time, the morning was well advanced and the sun was approaching its zenith when Captain Jack Sparrow, Elizabeth Turner, Ragetti, Pintel, Mullroy and Murtogg charged, the sun at their backs as they raced across the beach with the sand kicking up behind them. The former soldiers and the pirates engaged the royal marines first, forming a tight circle as they managed to attack and guard themselves efficiently despite their below average intelligence. However, the worst threat came in the forms of Jack and Elizabeth in this rear attack, especially when they first stormed into the fray side by side, two fierce minds and spirits fighting together, but even though they were so united, the chaos and the opposition came between them and they were parted, a mob of soldiers blocking each from the sight and call of the other.

In the front attack, launched by the Caribbean and Cantonese pirates due to their renewed hopes of victory, James Norrington and Anamaria were likewise united as partners in their duels, advancing and retreating as they tried to make an impact on the forces of the East India Company. In the distance, they spotted Marty being held captive and for a time they set off for that direction, but then they were blocked by several soldiers, most notable among them being Admiral Smith himself.

Admiral Smith scowled and asked, "Well, James Norrington...must you be so petty as to attack us simply because they demoted you?"

James shook his head and answered, "This has nothing to do with you, Smith, I have switched sides for a higher cause...but if you wish to stand in my way, then I shall attack you!"

With that, Norrington charged at Smith and Anamaria, standing at the side, growled in annoyance at this distraction while Marty was still in trouble. Meanwhile, Norrington was astonished to find that Smith was a good fighter and suddenly, he was finding himself hard-pressed, but he didn't dare cry out for help and look like a weakling, he could handle this by himself. At that point, Admiral Smith knocked Norrington's sword out of his hands and James blinked, stupefied that he had been so soundly defeated...suddenly, Anamaria lashed out and Smith fell to the ground as Norrington gasped, wondering if this day was going to bring more surprises.

In a lull, Anamaria wiped her sword in the sand, grimacing as she turned around to face James Norrington, trying not to be too disconcerted by his sharp, laconic looks as she cried, "What were you thinking, keeping silent like that? You could have yelped, you could have yelled for me, you could have made a sound! It's hard enough for me to notice everything that's going on in this turmoil and I only realized you were in trouble when I caught a brief glimpse! If I hadn't noticed then, that Smith fellow would have pierced you in the gut and then what about me?"

Norrington blinked and gaped at her before he replied, "I...I'm sorry, I didn't know you would care or would need..."

Anamaria groaned and threw her arms around him, trembling slightly as James instinctively wrapped his arms around her before he used one hand to cup her chin and lightly tug so that she would raise her head for them to kiss in the middle of this battlefield. Meanwhile, Captain Jack Sparrow was striding through the crowd of soldiers, occasionally defending himself against any soldier that attacked him, but mostly he glanced around and anxiously searched for any sign of Elizabeth, how had they gotten separated?

Jack sighed and muttered, "Bugger it, I should have told her to go off to safety, but I needed someone to charge into battle with, to keep me steady, and who better than a beloved..."

Suddenly, he turned and halted, waving his hands as Joshamee Gibbs and Captain Hector Barbossa both hobbled over toward him, slightly the worse for wear, especially with Barbossa's ankle. Gibbs slapped Jack on the back, who grunted with the blow, and exclaimed how well he looked. Then, Gibbs realized that the pack slung onto his shoulder had some rations and so he quickly opened it up, handing some food to Captain Jack, who quickly gobbled it up as Gibbs held out a flask.

Jack shook his head and inquired, "Water?"

Gibbs blinked, but he shrugged and now took out a canteen from the pack, which the captain snatched out of his hands and gulped down as Barbossa remarked, "It's good to see you, though you don't seem surprised to see me..."

Captain Jack Sparrow shook his head and replied, "I knew you would be here. Now, what's going on, how are we doing, has there been any trouble? Say, have any of you seen Elizabeth around here a few moments ago?"

Gibbs stared at Jack, wondering how he could have known that Barbossa would be alive and around, but he only told him, "We haven't seen Elizabeth since long before these battles started and as for trouble...we were in bad shape before, I'll admit, only about 20 of us and then Marty was captured."

Jack nodded and yelled, "Right then, we leave no man behind! Especially when we need all the men we can get right now, before the reinforcements arrive!"

Jack the monkey shrieked and Barbossa squinted as he queried, "What do you mean by that? Where in the world would reinforcements come from?"

Captain Jack Sparrow grinned and responded, "Actually, it's not exactly where in the world...never mind, it's just a matter of grammar. Now come on, you two will distract the soldiers guarding him, and I'll help get him out of here. A rescue mission is just what I need right now, 'cause I got to get something, anything done before they come. Say, what about Beckett? If I could just get close to him with my pistol..."

Captain Barbossa winced, but then he shook his head and calmly informed him, "Jack, listen to me, you're nervous and that's understandable, you've just come back from...wherever and Elizabeth's missing. However, we can only do first things first, Jack, so let's just free Marty and then we can go look for Elizabeth or, instead, Beckett if you're in the mood for blood. Now, if there's time somewhere in the midst of all of this, then you will have to tell us what is going on and we'll tell you what's going on, okay?"

Jack exhaled deeply and slowly nodded as he tried to get himself composed before he awkwardly spun about and stepped to the side, allowing Barbossa and Gibbs to take the lead as the trio strode forward toward the clump of soldiers surrounding their captured friend.

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**Favorite phrase: **"I'm a resilient pirate." Naturally, Bootstrap...and Will also inherited one-liners from him, for after Barbossa described their situation and queried, "What do you make of that?" Will said, "I'm not making an end of that, not at all." Of course, 'he was still too good' to be a pirate...while 'Sparrow and Swann soaring into the fray' has another nice touch, the interlude with Davy Jones is a little too awkward, but had to be done to tie things up. Meanwhile, Beckett 'prepared himself to face whatever might come his way, be it pirate or monster...though he would have never have expected a ghost.'...just had to put that in for the next chapter. The conversation that Captain Jack has with Gibbs and Barbossa is a bit jumpy, partly considering how I couldn't figure out what he should say and partly because I thought that would be his natural state after getting separated from Elizabeth...the outcome of which will also be in the next chapter. 


	21. Elizabeth and the Ghostly Verdicts

Can't think of a better title, probably influenced by the 7th Harry Potter title that has been announced-7/7/07, of course. That was OT, so mainly this is Elizabeth running around and everyone chasing after her-then the ghostly _Black Pearl_ arrives with quite a lot of reaction as the spirits come out to socialize-well, they give a few speeches, most notably Governor Weatherby Swann passing judgment on Lord Cutler Beckett.

**Disclaimer:** **Well, let's see what we've got...ah, _Epic Movie_ is making a stir, especially with some references to _Pirates_, but most importantly, it lampoons _The Chronicles of Narnia_...of course. Disney hasn't got a lot of good press in recent years, or at least it has become a natural subject of ridicule, but they still own _Pirates_-and I don't.**

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**21. Elizabeth and the Ghostly Verdicts**

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Swann was dashing through the battle, fierce in her attacks and her defenses as she glanced around, marveling as she observed the martial arts of the Cantonese pirates and wondered if she could learn how to fight like that. Suddenly, she turned and spotted Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg and Mullroy, heading over to them just as the four noticed her approach and quickly rushed over, surrounding her in a protective circle.

Murtogg turned and remarked, "It's good to see you, Miss. Swann, but you shouldn't be wandering around. How are you faring?"

Elizabeth grunted as she slashed out at a soldier and replied, "Oh, I'm managing, but you fellows shouldn't be so concerned. Have any of you seen Captain Jack since we got into this mess?"

Ragetti cleared his throat and told her, "No, miss, but he's probably doing fine on his own, being who he is with his luck. In any case, I'm sure he would want you to remain close to others during this battle."

Mullroy curtly nodded and lectured, "That's right, if we may be so bold as to say, you should stick with us until we find Captain Jack Sparrow. Now, I don't know about the other two, but me and Murtogg here both promised your father that we would guard you and we intend to uphold our duty to him. He would know if we failed in that regard, as his presence is coming toward us on the spirit of _The Black Pearl_, and we don't wish to see disappointment on his ghostly face."

Elizabeth groaned in exasperation, but she decided not to protest right now, as it would make them more wary of herself in their duty to guard her...she would have to watch for the 'opportune moment' to slip away, as Jack would say. That chance came a few moments later when the four fellows were distracted by an especially fierce attack and Elizabeth side-stepped out of the circle of protection and away from the soldiers, then she jogged out into the mob once more, dodging some bouts as she scanned about. She didn't like having to deceive them like this, especially when she appreciated their honor in trying to keep her safe, but it would be far easier to find Captain Jack Sparrow on her own than if she was burdened in her search by an ever-present crowd of below-intelligence companions.

Meanwhile, the four fellows had thwarted the attack, but then Pintel glanced around and cried, "Guys! Miss Swann has left us!"

Murtogg shook his head and murmured, "Oh, I don't like this at all...come on, fellows, we better go after her!"

By this time, Elizabeth Swann was panting heavily, wishing that perhaps she had stayed with them...no, that was a weak thought, she was a pirate now and she had to take care of herself, it was efficient to be self-sufficient so that she would be able to get what she needed. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and lifted her head to look around at the chaos when suddenly, she spied two figures in the distance...one at the height of life, Will Turner as he fought with a ferocity that she feared came partly from his suppressed desires, and then a haunting figure beside him...it had to be his father, Bootstrap Bill, but how could Davy Jones have allowed him to be here, fighting side by side with Will? Unfortunately, she had halted for too long as Will looked up and saw her, in the distance...she cursed softly and raced off, so that he wouldn't take off after her and try to protect her or whatever.

However, Elizabeth, and probably everyone fighting, could hear Will as he yelled, "Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth grimaced to herself, how could he not have sense enough to keep his voice quiet? Now everyone would come running to him, or would come searching for her, and this was going to do no good, how could she find Jack if she was too much of a target?

Far behind her, Bootstrap Bill paused and turned to his son as he queried, "Will, what happened, did you really see this Elizabeth you told me about?"

Will turned to his father and responded, "Yes, I just saw her over there, but she was all alone! She shouldn't be left to fend for herself, out in this battle, and yet where is her beloved? I know that we weren't made for each other, that our relationship wasn't stable, but I still want the best for her and Captain Jack Sparrow certainly doesn't live up to what she deserves! She should have known that, she should have known that their love wouldn't change him from the drunk, self-centered, and dis-"

Suddenly, Captain Jack Sparrow sped over to them and shouted, "Hello, Will! Is Elizabeth with you? I heard you yelling her name!"

Will blinked and cleared his throat as he told him, "Uh, no, actually...I just saw her, in the distance, and then she ran off, so I called out to her...uh, congratulations to you."

Jack frowned, while Marty strolled over towards them, and muttered, "What were you thinking, yelling out like that? I wouldn't be surprised at all if the whole East India Company heard you, especially Lord Beckett, and now that she's out there, especially Beckett! You should have...Bootstrap?"

Bootstrap Bill raised his head and said, "Hello, Jack, it's good to see you well after...after whatever happened."

Jack sighed and murmured, "Yes, Bootstrap, I appreciate that...what are you doing here, were...were you sent by Davy Jones to get back his heart?"

Bootstrap nodded and replied, "That's right, you've gotten down to the core of the matter...we even managed to get an ally to our cause, a James Norrington who wanted to redeem himself."

Jack blinked, but then he slowly nodded and whispered, "That's interesting..."

Meanwhile, Marty turned and waved as Captain Hector Barbossa and Joshamee Gibbs joined them, panting slightly as Gibbs whispered, "Ah, we were held up a little in a duel while you went on ahead...so, what about Elizabeth? Did Will find her?"

Captain Jack Sparrow shook his head, scowling slightly as he replied, "No, he saw her and yelled out after she ran off...bugger it, I was this close to reuniting with her and-"

However, he was nearly shoved aside as Mullroy, Murtogg, Pintel and Ragetti all bumbled into the crowd, ready for a duel, but they stumbled to a halt and quickly sheathed their swords before they did hurt one of their friends. Mullroy cleared his throat and apologized, asking after Miss. Swann as Pintel helped pick Jack up onto his feet.

Jack the monkey shook his head while Barbossa said, "Ugh, she's always the one stirring up a fuss, it seems to me, unless it's her former beloved. Look, Jack, we're seriously outnumbered and we can't use all of our manpower to look for her, especially when Lord Cutler Beckett wants us dead!"

Jack turned his head to gaze out at the ocean, pausing as he grinned and exclaimed, "Finally! Listen, everyone, we have nothing to fear! Now we can devote as much manpower as we need to look for her, because now the reinforcements are arriving...and they want Lord Beckett just as dead as he made them."

Everyone was now looking out, surprised to see the ghostly form of _The Black Pearl_ gliding toward them and now the fighting died down, the soldiers and the pirates all stupefied by the sight. However, Captain Barbossa was the first to shake off his shock and he staggered forward to stand beside Captain Jack, staring at him and then at the distant ship fast approaching.

Barbossa asked, "Ah, Jack...so this is what you meant when you said that they weren't exactly of this world...yet who are they, were they all...pirates in life?"

Captain Jack Sparrow turned his head and answered, "You know who they are, Hector, you and the others did know a few of them in life...most of them were pirates, but all of them bear a grudge against Lord Cutler Beckett, one way or another. Now they have come back to this earthly realm, for a time, to fight for our sake and for the sake of the future and for their own revenge...the tide came to World's End and carried us out of that desert purgatory, all from the heart of grace and guidance. Now come on, we have got to find her, for I need my Elizabeth for fair days to come."

As they all watched, _The Black Pearl_ sailed straight up into the shallows, landing just a foot or so away from the shore as it beached itself, and then there was a pause before a figure stood up behind the rail, sending a chill up the spine of every living person standing on the beach, for he was a ghostly figure. The...man's features were hard to distinguish for the living, he was high up and his face, gray as it was, was also shadowed by the sun as it reached its zenith...he tossed the end of a rope over the side of the rail, whose end-knot fell until it slapped against the hull, just a foot or so above the sandy surface of the shore.

Transfixed as just about everyone, especially the soldiers and Lord Beckett, were on that rope, they were startled to hear the ghost cry out, "Hello, pirates, gentlemen, and soldiers! I must say that in my life, I was neither one of these things, and so I have been nothing more than an observer to these events, mostly from the afterlife. Still, I am closely tied to these affairs as I am Teague Sparrow and furthermore have recently met newly departed spirits in the purgatory of World's End."

Will Turner gasped, Bootstrap Bill shaded his eyes to get a better look at the father of such a unique fellow like Jack, while Captain Hector Barbossa turned and arched his eyebrows at Jack, who sighed as Teague continued, "In any case, we have come back not only to help these pirates and my son Jack in his battle, but also a few of us bear...personal grudges against Lord Cutler Beckett. Our cases against him are sound and, being an observer, I shall introduce them all to you. Our first spirit was a man of illustrious renown in the Caribbean, a gentleman who supposedly died of natural causes, but no-he was forced to work for Beckett's intentions, all for the sake of protecting his daughter, but then Beckett shoved him and caused his death! Governor Weatherby Swann!"

Governor Swann stood up as Beckett paled and James Norrington gasped, saluting while Anamaria wrapped her arm around his back, knowing how sorrowful he felt...Teague now called, "Now, you may not recognize them in their human forms, but these poor spirits feel misused by Beckett, who influenced their captain Davy Jones! Almost all of the crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ volunteered to return to fight and give Davy back his heart!"

All of these men stood up and Beckett growled, clutching his chest tighter to him, feeling threatened...Teague then yelled, "Finally, the victims of last night's hurricane, brought out at the bidding of Lord Beckett, Captain Sao Feng and almost all of his crew of 'the Flying Empress' and Cotten!"

Now they all stood up and all of the Caribbean and Cantonese pirates stiffened, feeling woe for their former companions and renewed sense of rage at Beckett, who was also tense and anxious at these souls...at last, Governor Weatherby Swann shouted, "As a former governor of Port Royal, it is within my power to decree Lord Cutler Beckett a murderous scoundrel of corruption and ambition, a man who has grudged others for their fortune ever since he was a child...he blamed me for his poor childhood, for marrying Natasha instead of my cousin when I should have sired him, and, as far as I know, he blamed Captain Jack Sparrow for only doing what was right. Of course, Beckett is a poor model and not all English nobleman of free enterprise should be judged as guilty as him, and I grant pardon to all soldiers of the East India Company so long as they should surrender as quickly as possible or face the same fate as Lord Beckett: Death, as judged by his peers and fellow humans, and the relinquishment of the heart of Davy Jones!"

Cotten cried out the charge and the ghosts leapt from their ship and climbed down the rope, swarming the beach as some soldiers surrendered at the horrific sight, others foolishly attempted to fight, and others managed to push a few rowboats into the water in an attempt to flee. Lord Cutler Beckett attempted to take this chance of flight, rushing into the surf and towards a boat as he gripped the chest of Davy's heart as his arms reddened, but then his escape was briefly blocked by none other than Miss. Elizabeth Swann. For when she had paused to listen to the ghostly speeches of Teague and then her father, she had been similarly stirred as the pirates had been and so she briefly abandoned her passionate search for Captain Jack Sparrow, now turning to a vengeful search for Lord Beckett and had, fatefully, instantly spotted his retreat and raced over to intercept him. However, Elizabeth's rush into the attack was foolhardy and unprepared, Beckett was instantly on guard and swiftly lashed out at her, she cried out as she fell, clutching her sword-arm as Beckett side-stepped around her, now slogging into a rowboat and jumping in, ordering the soldiers inside to take him to _The Spear_, where he would instantly order Mercer to prepare to sail out for good. As the boat was rowed out into the ocean, the lord patted the chest, smiling to himself as he thought that no one could stop him...he had escaped and he knew that, even from a distance, he would still retain control over Davy Jones...for all of their passion and determination, the pirates had failed and their demise was only delayed.

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**Favorite phrase:** It's that time again! Elizabeth certainly has been irrational in this chapter, and so has everyone else as they make a fuss and as Will, as pointed out, sort of stupidly shouts her name for everyone to hear...boy, first part isn't very memorable. However, once _the Black Pearl_, then it gets interesting..."Now they have come back to this earthly realm, for a time, to fight for our sake and for the sake of the future and for their own revenge...the tide came to World's End and carried us out of that desert purgatory, all from the heart of grace and guidance. Now come on, we have got to find her, for I need my Elizabeth for fair days to come." Jack, referring to that prose she recited, and the proceedings of the spirits are especially good with Teague Sparrow as something like the prosecution lawyer, Governor Weatherby Swann as the judge that passes sentence, and Cotten as the executioner when he bellows out for all of the ghosts to charge. However, Lord Beckett manages to escape for now, wounding Elizabeth in the process, and as he departs, he is certain that 'for all of their passion and determination, the pirates had failed and their demise was only delayed.' Of course, that is getting ahead of himself...especially whenever an angry Captain Jack Sparrow should come after him. 


	22. What Matters To The Heart

Sorry it's been so long, just had to handle some obligations. They are about 4 more chapters left or so, counting this one, and we're about to have the final encounter between the pirates and the East India Company. This is mainly a chapter to set up the encounter, but there is also some interesting developments and reflections. Uhhh...not a long introduction. Sorry, probably won't do a **Favorite Phrase**, although there are some interesting reactions from Norrington and some of Jack's thoughts.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Pirates...well, if you wish upon a star, could it come true?**  
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**22. What Matters to the Heart**

Meanwhile, most of the pirates had stepped back in their fighting, allowing the ghosts to take care of those that wouldn't surrender, and Mullroy had wandered off while Murtogg remarked, "Wait a moment...they're solid now, or at least a little. Look, Cotten can shove that soldier there, so he must be solid with mass or what not."

James Norrington and Anamaria, who had wandered over to the group, paused for a moment as Anamaria exclaimed, "That was what my sister was talking about!

James glanced at Anamaria and murmured, "Wait a moment, are you saying that Tia Dalma is your sister?"

Anamaria ignored him as she continued, "She was muttering for a while when she was feeling faint, I think I did hear her say something about solidness..."

Captain Jack Sparrow perked up and queried, "So does that mean I could go over and touch my old ship, maybe climb on board and steer her?"

Teague Sparrow, who had stepped out of the fighting, wandered over as his son said this and sighed as he responded, "Well, I suppose you could, but it won't do you any good...you'll have to realize that she'll disappear when we disappear. It's best just to distance yourself from _The Black Pearl_, so that you won't be hurt too much when she has to leave you."

Will Turner glanced at Jack and commented, "I think you should listen to your father on this, Jack...personally, Elizabeth and…we've been separated these last few days and it makes it easier to cope with."

Jack cleared his throat and turned his head, feeling awkward, but what he saw made him even more awkward-James Norrington, standing beside him, not properly dressed in his naval uniform but in the garb of a pirate, in the style and shagginess of a pirate, complete with a parrot.

Jack blinked and, unable to think of anything else to say, declared, "That's Cotten's parrot."

Norrington petted the bird, a little surprised to realize that he was anxious for Jack's approval as he told him, "The parrot came to me, Captain Jack Sparrow, after I had made my pact with Bootstrap Bill."

Jack said nothing to him, but turned and shouted, "Oy! Cotten!"

Cotten, who was guarding a captured soldier, lifted his head as Jack now yelled, "James Norrington has your parrot! Is that fine with you?"

Cotten shrugged and replied, "I released my old friend before I died, he doesn't belong to me now and it's up to him where he goes, he's the best judge on a good owner! If he went to that Norrington fellow, then he knows that man to be a good owner as a pirate!"

Captain Jack Sparrow nodded and turned to James as he proclaimed, "Right, then you're a pirate, and welcome abroad...to the crew. I suppose we better commandeer a new ship once we're done with all of this, probably one of the armada ships since they're the only ones for miles around. Say, did you all take care not to destroy all of the ships?"

Teague rubbed his forehead and replied, "We only attacked two ships, and only one of those was just about nearly destroyed. There are still 3 good ships out there in the armada, not counting _The Flying Dutchman_."

Jack grinned and muttered, "Yes, 3 ships might just be perfect for us, once we flesh out where Beckett is in this mess and take care of him. Right then, he'll be easy to pick out here-a short prick with a white ponytail wig. I'll leave you all to manage that and now I've got to find Elizabeth, though now I'll have to lecture her about wandering away like this, it's just not right to worry me-uh, us, like-"

Suddenly, Mullroy, who had just halted in the surf a short distance down the beach and gazed down, now lifted his head and hoarsely yelled, "Captain! Somebody, help me! She's wounded!"

Everyone stiffened before they hurried over, Jack in the lead as he reached Mullroy and quickly bent down, helping to raise Elizabeth in an elevated position so that she wouldn't choke in the tide as he checked to see that her right arm was severely cut.

Elizabeth was gasping, coughing as the others reached them and Jack cried, "Gunpowder! I need gunpowder! Norrington, your shirt's still clean, just rip off a piece of it!"

Marty rushed over to a soldier, looting a horn of gunpowder while James fumbled with his shirt until Anamaria waved his hands away, bringing out her knife as she efficiently slashed off a long, wide strip of it, handing it over as Marty arrived with the gunpowder.

Jack raised his head and ordered, "Come on over here, Will, with the gunpowder and pour a little of it into the wound."

Will winced slightly, knowing it to be a painful disinfectant, but he grasped the horn and brought it over, bending down as he carefully, with a precision that some of the other pirates were incapable of but which had always been natural to him in his work as a blacksmith, sprinkled some of the gunpowder into the center of the wound.

Elizabeth yelped and Jack quickly bound up the wound with the cloth from Norrington as he murmured, "Come on, luv, it's not so bad, you're lucky, eh? I must have rubbed off on you, all the better for both of us...just calm down and feel that breeze, like the loving sea breeze you gave to me to bring me back, you're safe now."

Elizabeth managed to smile, gazing up into Jack's face as she murmured, "I know, Jack, I know...I tried to stop the boat, there was a boat that left, I saw him heading toward it and I tried to stop him. He cut me, without any effort and without stopping, that frightened me as badly as the hurricane and seeing you earlier, lying helpless in that cold cave. I'm safe, but I think he may be getting away, Beckett got onto that boat even though I tried-"

Captain Jack Sparrow shook his head, humming softly as he rubbed her face until Elizabeth finally closed her eyes in exhaustion, hardly stirring as Jack lifted his head and whispered, "Right, Murtogg and Mullroy, you two take her back over under those trees for some shade and watch over her while we head out."

As the two former soldiers nodded and reached down to pick her up, Captain Hector Barbossa turned to Jack and asked, "So, how do you expect all of us to get off of this shore and sail out to meet Beckett? There aren't enough boats for those that aren't dead, especially if you've forgotten that I can't walk underwater anymore."

Jack said nothing as he watched Murtogg and Mullroy carry the unconscious Elizabeth away, making sure they were handling her with care, before he informed Barbossa, "Well, we'll just to have a few words with Tia Dalma about my ship, and maybe that will solve our dilemma here."

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Several boats, containing a score of surviving soldiers and Lord Cutler Beckett, sailed out and bypassed _Malcolm's Maid_, the ship of the late Admiral Smith, and 'the Dauntless', the ship of the traitor Norrington, heading for _The Spear_ as it was perhaps the best equipped ship still available in the formerly powerful armada of the East India Company. When they reached its side, Mercer and a few sailors left behind dropped ropes and the boats were soon hoisted out of the water, the soldiers and Beckett clambering out of the boats as the assistant walked back to the table on the deck. He solemnly picked up the casket-chest that he had placed on top of several papers there and held it out as he walked back toward Lord Cutler Beckett, bowing his head as Beckett accepted the chest back. Beckett frowned for a moment, wondering if he should call Davy Jones now and force him to conjure up another hurricane or do something else to hinder these pirates, but then he decided against it since in his current weak state of affairs, Davy might try to attack him and even manage to regain his heart.

Beckett turned to Mercer and ordered, "Take a note, Mercer, we must begin to compose our letter to First Lord of the Treasury and to His Majesty...Sir Robert Walpole isn't going to like receiving the news of our defeat, but we can still manage to salvage the reputation of the East India Company."

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Tia Dalma managed to stand up, after seeing Murtogg and Mullroy approach with the unconscious Elizabeth, and paused to check the dressings before she nodded and walked out of the grove and onto the beach, to where the living Cantonese and Caribbean pirates were speaking with their ghostly counterparts. At her approach, Marty cleared his throat and several people, Captain Jack Sparrow, his late father Teague and the late Governor Swann, and Will Turner amongst them, turned around as Jack stepped forward, steeling himself for bad news...luck had been on his side for awhile now, but he knew that he still was vulnerable to the fickle nature of fortune.

However, Tia Dalma raised her hand and told him, "Don't worry, you did good on treating her wound, Jack, it's a good dressing that'll hold up for another hour or more. Besides, we have other problems to tackle...from the state of all of you, I would guess that Lord Cutler Beckett and my father's heart has escaped your grasps."

James Norrington gaped at Dalma and murmured, "No, not your father's heart..."

Dalma glanced over at Norrington and informed him, "Well, Anamaria and I are only sisters through our mother, Calypso."

James blinked and turned to Anamaria, who giggled at the startled look at his face, and then he smiled sheepishly while Captain Sao Feng growled and lectured, "There's no time for dalliance now, we have to go after Beckett. If you were in your right mind, Norrington, I'm sure you would tell them that Beckett and the survivors have probably gone back to his personal ship, _The Spear_. Lin, was that not the name of the ship Norrington mentioned on the night you spoke to him during the attack of Tortuga?"

Lin quickly nodded, though slightly abashed since it reminded the Caribbean pirates that he and his former crewmates had once abetted in betraying them, but he composed himself to reply, "Yes, and we had seen that ship several times before whenever we met with Lord Beckett, in a port or out at sea, to discuss with him the information we had obtained in our familiarity with other pirates. In that regard, we know _The Spear_ to be heavily armed, in that it boasts of various cannons of various sizes and calibers, but it may be possible to board if we approach it cautiously...or perhaps on a ship not of this world."

Captain Jack Sparrow turned to Tia Dalma, who nodded and murmured, "Yes, that'll work...we might as well board now and get this over with. Don't worry, the spirit of _The Black Pearl_ will be solid enough for us, but it won't be affected by the cannons...they'll just pass right through with their mass and velocity. And I'll be coming with you all...I must be present."

Captain Hector Barbossa shrugged and bellowed, "Everyone, board the 'Black Pearl', armed and ready for one last battle!"

Captain Sao Feng roared out the same command as the living and ghostly pirates boarded the ship, grimly clutching their weapons and tense for a fight, though Jack glanced back once toward the trees, imaging Elizabeth sleeping peacefully...Governor Swann tugged at him and Jack cleared his throat, nodding as he stepped to the head of the crowd of pirates, taking his place as their leader.

As Captain Jack Sparrow stepped onboard _The Black Pearl_, he had expected to feel right at home once more, treading the familiar boards of his deck as he made his way from the mast to the wheel, but the wood of the ship had now faded into a dull gray...mass, without any real texture or element of inanimate life, and he couldn't sense any connection between himself, his soul, and the shell of what had once belonged to him alone, with the spirit of freedom. Even though he could touch its ghost in a solid form, this was not his _Black Pearl_, not as he had known it before the Kraken had torn it apart...Jack sighed, now fully resigned to the simple truth that there was no way to regain what had been lost. The ghosts spread out to all quarters of their _Black Pearl_, seeing to the preparations needed to sail off while the living pirates huddled together aimlessly in the middle of the deck, too disconcerted with this strange state of matter upon which they stood and too aware that this vessel wasn't of their realm anymore.

As they sailed further out, passing the deserted deck of _Malcolm's Maid_, Jack glanced back toward the island, so small in the middle of this vast expanse of ocean known as the Bermuda Triangle, and told himself that he still had his freedom, even without _The Black Pearl_, and that he could pass this freedom on to Elizabeth in their life together...she did have a claim and trust in his allegiance, that was part of love, and perhaps together they would be monumental enough to withstand the never-ending tide. At that point, both Captain Hector Barbossa and Captain Sao Feng approached Jack and the three settled down, discussing how they might be able to thwart the remaining power of this force to get a chance at Lord Cutler Beckett and snatching away Davy's heart.

Sao Feng sighed and murmured, "I never thought, while living, that we would ever be strong enough to face the power of the East India Company...that was my curse, perhaps, to try and earn the blessing of Beckett and his minions for their...condescending to grant me power and immunity. Still, I am content now to see them finally bowed down in this assault...I never thought that my allies, that my friends could come close to achieving this victory."

Barbossa nodded and told him, "Thank you for your speech, Sao, but now we must consider our moves. After we storm the ship, most of the soldiers will probably surrender, especially if they hold no strong allegiance to Beckett. However, a few of the former crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ have been telling me that there is one fellow, Mercer, an assistant to the lord that will most likely put up a fight...Governor Swann told me he was an assassin or something of the sort. Now, in this final attack...it will be the two of us, Jack, against Mercer and Beckett, while Sao Feng leads the rest in fighting the last resilient soldiers."

Captain Jack Sparrow blinked and queried, "Hold on, just about everyone onboard here has been crying out for a chance at tearing into Beckett...did you speak to the others about this final detail?"

Captain Sao Feng smiled and responded, "Yes, we have already spoken to several key fighters, Will Turner, Bootstrap, Maccus, Lin, Chen, James Norrington, Anamaria, Joshamee Gibbs, Hadras, Palifico, Ogilvey, even your father and Governor Swann...most of them, especially Norrington, Will, Bootstrap, and Anamaria protested about not being able to do the deed. I, myself, am a little reluctant to not be able to charge straight on at Lord Cutler Beckett...but, in general, we have agreed as a group that you two are possibly best suited to the task and might represent the strength of piracy leading to his demise. Of course, if anything should go wrong, either I or someone else will intercede and take care of the lord. Ah, we're approaching _The Spear_ and I think that they're loading the cannons...let's see how this ghost ship will hold up to the bombardment."

As the spirit and living pirates gathered around, watching as, in the distance, they could see a few soldiers frantically loading several different cannons, Tia Dalma stood to the wayside, staring at James Norrington and Anamaria standing together, Anamaria reaching up to stroke both Norrington's hair and the parrot's feathers. Her little sister had found her place...Dalma was glad and hoped that it should make it easier for her, when she personally claimed her own place when Beckett had been dealt with...considering such a thought, Dalma glanced back now at _The Flying Dutchman_, where she could imagine seeing the figure of Davy Jones standing at the rail. She did not know if he knew of her existence...but he would know, when she called him after everything had been settled, Davy Jones would realize that she was the daughter of himself and Calypso...that should make it easier for herself.

21. Elizabeth and the Ghostly Verdicts

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Swann was dashing through the battle, fierce in her attacks and her defenses as she glanced around, marveling as she observed the martial arts of the Cantonese pirates and wondered if she could learn how to fight like that. Suddenly, she turned and spotted Pintel, Ragetti, Murtogg and Mullroy, heading over to them just as the four noticed her approach and quickly rushed over, surrounding her in a protective circle.

Murtogg turned and remarked, "It's good to see you, Miss. Swann, but you shouldn't be wandering around. How are you faring?"

Elizabeth grunted as she slashed out at a soldier and replied, "Oh, I'm managing, but you fellows shouldn't be so concerned. Have any of you seen Captain Jack since we got into this mess?"

Ragetti cleared his throat and told her, "No, miss, but he's probably doing fine on his own, being who he is with his luck. In any case, I'm sure he would want you to remain close to others during this battle."

Mullroy curtly nodded and lectured, "That's right, if we may be so bold as to say, you should stick with us until we find Captain Jack Sparrow. Now, I don't know about the other two, but me and Murtogg here both promised your father that we would guard you and we intend to uphold our duty to him. He would know if we failed in that regard, as his presence is coming toward us on the spirit of _The Black Pearl_, and we don't wish to see disappointment on his ghostly face."

Elizabeth groaned in exasperation, but she decided not to protest right now, as it would make them more wary of herself in their duty to guard her...she would have to watch for the 'opportune moment' to slip away, as Jack would say. That chance came a few moments later when the four fellows were distracted by an especially fierce attack and Elizabeth side-stepped out of the circle of protection and away from the soldiers, then she jogged out into the mob once more, dodging some bouts as she scanned about. She didn't like having to deceive them like this, especially when she appreciated their honor in trying to keep her safe, but it would be far easier to find Captain Jack Sparrow on her own than if she was burdened in her search by an ever-present crowd of below-intelligence companions.

Meanwhile, the four fellows had thwarted the attack, but then Pintel glanced around and cried, "Guys! Miss Swann has left us!"

Murtogg shook his head and murmured, "Oh, I don't like this at all...come on, fellows, we better go after her!"

By this time, Elizabeth Swann was panting heavily, wishing that perhaps she had stayed with them...no, that was a weak thought, she was a pirate now and she had to take care of herself, it was efficient to be self-sufficient so that she would be able to get what she needed. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and lifted her head to look around at the chaos when suddenly, she spied two figures in the distance...one at the height of life, Will Turner as he fought with a ferocity that she feared came partly from his suppressed desires, and then a haunting figure beside him...it had to be his father, Bootstrap Bill, but how could Davy Jones have allowed him to be here, fighting side by side with Will? Unfortunately, she had halted for too long as Will looked up and saw her, in the distance...she cursed softly and raced off, so that he wouldn't take off after her and try to protect her or whatever.

However, Elizabeth, and probably everyone fighting, could hear Will as he yelled, "Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth grimaced to herself, how could he not have sense enough to keep his voice quiet? Now everyone would come running to him, or would come searching for her, and this was going to do no good, how could she find Jack if she was too much of a target?

Far behind her, Bootstrap Bill paused and turned to his son as he queried, "Will, what happened, did you really see this Elizabeth you told me about?"

Will turned to his father and responded, "Yes, I just saw her over there, but she was all alone! She shouldn't be left to fend for herself, out in this battle, and yet where is her beloved? I know that we weren't made for each other, that our relationship wasn't stable, but I still want the best for her and Captain Jack Sparrow certainly doesn't live up to what she deserves! She should have known that, she should have known that their love wouldn't change him from the drunk, self-centered, and dis-"

Suddenly, Captain Jack Sparrow sped over to them and shouted, "Hello, Will! Is Elizabeth with you? I heard you yelling her name!"

Will blinked and cleared his throat as he told him, "Uh, no, actually...I just saw her, in the distance, and then she ran off, so I called out to her...uh, congratulations to you."

Jack frowned, while Marty strolled over towards them, and muttered, "What were you thinking, yelling out like that? I wouldn't be surprised at all if the whole East India Company heard you, especially Lord Beckett, and now that she's out there, especially Beckett! You should have...Bootstrap?"

Bootstrap Bill raised his head and said, "Hello, Jack, it's good to see you well after...after whatever happened."

Jack sighed and murmured, "Yes, Bootstrap, I appreciate that...what are you doing here, were...were you sent by Davy Jones to get back his heart?"

Bootstrap nodded and replied, "That's right, you've gotten down to the core of the matter...we even managed to get an ally to our cause, a James Norrington who wanted to redeem himself."

Jack blinked, but then he slowly nodded and whispered, "That's interesting..."

Meanwhile, Marty turned and waved as Captain Hector Barbossa and Joshamee Gibbs joined them, panting slightly as Gibbs whispered, "Ah, we were held up a little in a duel while you went on ahead...so, what about Elizabeth? Did Will find her?"

Captain Jack Sparrow shook his head, scowling slightly as he replied, "No, he saw her and yelled out after she ran off...bugger it, I was this close to reuniting with her and-"

However, he was nearly shoved aside as Mullroy, Murtogg, Pintel and Ragetti all bumbled into the crowd, ready for a duel, but they stumbled to a halt and quickly sheathed their swords before they did hurt one of their friends. Mullroy cleared his throat and apologized, asking after Miss. Swann as Pintel helped pick Jack up onto his feet.

Jack the monkey shook his head while Barbossa said, "Ugh, she's always the one stirring up a fuss, it seems to me, unless it's her former beloved. Look, Jack, we're seriously outnumbered and we can't use all of our manpower to look for her, especially when Lord Cutler Beckett wants us dead!"

Jack turned his head to gaze out at the ocean, pausing as he grinned and exclaimed, "Finally! Listen, everyone, we have nothing to fear! Now we can devote as much manpower as we need to look for her, because now the reinforcements are arriving...and they want Lord Beckett just as dead as he made them."

Everyone was now looking out, surprised to see the ghostly form of _The Black Pearl_ gliding toward them and now the fighting died down, the soldiers and the pirates all stupefied by the sight. However, Captain Barbossa was the first to shake off his shock and he staggered forward to stand beside Captain Jack, staring at him and then at the distant ship fast approaching.

Barbossa asked, "Ah, Jack...so this is what you meant when you said that they weren't exactly of this world...yet who are they, were they all...pirates in life?"

Captain Jack Sparrow turned his head and answered, "You know who they are, Hector, you and the others did know a few of them in life...most of them were pirates, but all of them bear a grudge against Lord Cutler Beckett, one way or another. Now they have come back to this earthly realm, for a time, to fight for our sake and for the sake of the future and for their own revenge...the tide came to World's End and carried us out of that desert purgatory, all from the heart of grace and guidance. Now come on, we have got to find her, for I need my Elizabeth for fair days to come."

As they all watched, _The Black Pearl_ sailed straight up into the shallows, landing just a foot or so away from the shore as it beached itself, and then there was a pause before a figure stood up behind the rail, sending a chill up the spine of every living person standing on the beach, for he was a ghostly figure. The...man's features were hard to distinguish for the living, he was high up and his face, gray as it was, was also shadowed by the sun as it reached its zenith...he tossed the end of a rope over the side of the rail, whose end-knot fell until it slapped against the hull, just a foot or so above the sandy surface of the shore.

Transfixed as just about everyone, especially the soldiers and Lord Beckett, were on that rope, they were startled to hear the ghost cry out, "Hello, pirates, gentlemen, and soldiers! I must say that in my life, I was neither one of these things, and so I have been nothing more than an observer to these events, mostly from the afterlife. Still, I am closely tied to these affairs as I am Teague Sparrow and furthermore have recently met newly departed spirits in the purgatory of World's End."

Will Turner gasped, Bootstrap Bill shaded his eyes to get a better look at the father of such a unique fellow like Jack, while Captain Hector Barbossa turned and arched his eyebrows at Jack, who sighed as Teague continued, "In any case, we have come back not only to help these pirates and my son Jack in his battle, but also a few of us bear...personal grudges against Lord Cutler Beckett. Our cases against him are sound and, being an observer, I shall introduce them all to you. Our first spirit was a man of illustrious renown in the Caribbean, a gentleman who supposedly died of natural causes, but no-he was forced to work for Beckett's intentions, all for the sake of protecting his daughter, but then Beckett shoved him and caused his death! Governor Weatherby Swann!"

Governor Swann stood up as Beckett paled and James Norrington gasped, saluting while Anamaria wrapped her arm around his back, knowing how sorrowful he felt...Teague now called, "Now, you may not recognize them in their human forms, but these poor spirits feel misused by Beckett, who influenced their captain Davy Jones! Almost all of the crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ volunteered to return to fight and give Davy back his heart!"

All of these men stood up and Beckett growled, clutching his chest tighter to him, feeling threatened...Teague then yelled, "Finally, the victims of last night's hurricane, brought out at the bidding of Lord Beckett, Captain Sao Feng and almost all of his crew of 'the Flying Empress' and Cotten!"

Now they all stood up and all of the Caribbean and Cantonese pirates stiffened, feeling woe for their former companions and renewed sense of rage at Beckett, who was also tense and anxious at these souls...at last, Governor Weatherby Swann shouted, "As a former governor of Port Royal, it is within my power to decree Lord Cutler Beckett a murderous scoundrel of corruption and ambition, a poor model of an English nobleman of free enterprise, and that all soldiers of the East India Company should surrender as quickly as possible or face the same fate as Lord Beckett: Death, as judged by his peers and fellow humans, and the relinquishment of the heart of Davy Jones!"

Cotten cried out the charge and the ghosts leapt from their ship and climbed down the rope, swarming the beach as some soldiers surrendered at the horrific sight, others foolishly attempted to fight, and others managed to push a few rowboats into the water in an attempt to flee. Lord Cutler Beckett attempted to take this chance of flight, rushing into the surf and towards a boat as he gripped the chest of Davy's heart as his arms reddened, but then his escape was briefly blocked by none other than Miss. Elizabeth Swann. For when she had paused to listen to the ghostly speeches of Teague and then her father, she had been similarly stirred as the pirates had been and so she briefly abandoned her passionate search for Captain Jack Sparrow, now turning to a vengeful search for Lord Beckett and had, fatefully, instantly spotted his retreat and raced over to intercept him. However, Elizabeth's rush into the attack was foolhardy and unprepared, Beckett was instantly on guard and swiftly lashed out at her, she cried out as she fell, clutching her sword-arm as Beckett side-stepped around her, now slogging into a rowboat and jumping in, ordering the soldiers inside to take him to _The Spear_, where he would instantly order Mercer to prepare to sail out for good. As the boat was rowed out into the ocean, the lord patted the chest, smiling to himself as he thought that no one could stop him...he had escaped and he knew that, even from a distance, he would still retain control over Davy Jones...for all of their passion and determination, the pirates had failed and their demise was only delayed.


	23. The Final Battle

First of all, let me just apologize for the last chapter...in case you haven't noticed, that accidentally had the Ch. 21 added on the end, I always use the same file while loading, deleting the previous chapter...usually. Well, I'm not making that same mistake this time...with any luck, the next chapter will come sooner than 14 days or so...sorry. Keep forgetting, I'm also lagging behind on my second fan-fic on IMDb...sometimes 3 days go by before I update on there. This last week or so has been hectic and no holiday until Spring Break...at least February will be short and will have some interesting events, though no POTC 3 ad will be on the Super Bowl, or so it's been reported. PS: Happy Groundhog Day! We're going to have an early spring! Anyway, back to the story...very self-explanatory. There are some funny stuff, some sad stuff as the pirates board _The Spear_ for the last battle...Tia Dalma might manage to implement a shift in the plot and, unfortunately, this chapter will end with a cliffhanger...a _really big _cliffhanger. I will try to get out the next chapter as soon as possible...but you know how it can be.

**Disclaimer:**** Another ripe opportunity has come up...malicious giggle...Disney is turning into a monster. Really, have you seen the ads for _Cinderella 3_!!!!! I mean, there was no need for the first sequel, especially when it's messing with a classic, but now Disney has decided to do it again, this time with the premise that the evil Stepmother gets the chance to ruin the happily ever after! This is a children's movie, why ruin the happily ever after that has always been the Disney formula for their animated movies? Of course, none of this applies to _Pirates_...which I don't own. Although, will they mess up the happily ever after for Captain Jack Sparrow? Wait until May!****  
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**23. Boarding _The Spear_**

At that point, Mercer turned to Lord Cutler Beckett and told him, "Cannons are ready, my lord, on your command."

Lord Beckett curtly nodded and exclaimed, "Fire away into their broadside, let's see how a ship of the mist can withstand our forceful iron!"

The soldiers saluted and, in succession, ignited their tapers and within the instant, several cannons fired out their cannonballs as the soldiers and sailors gazed out their windows and over the rails on the deck as well, all intrigued to see how their bombardment might affect such a ghostly ship. However, they were highly disappointed for, as Captain Hector Barbossa had predicted, the cannonballs had too much mass and velocity so that, fixedly aimed as they were at the hull of _The Black Pearl_, they did enter through the grayish matter...but were unchecked and sped right through. There was no substance that they could make impact with, nothing that could cause this ghostly ship to sink, the only real damage they could have done was if they had been able to reposition the aim of the cannons above the railing, to fire at the living pirates standing there, but it wasn't possible to shift up the mouth of the cannon toward such a position when the cannons were on the lower deck. As it was, the Caribbean and Cantonese pirates, living and dead, could glance down at the deck of _The Black Pearl_ and see a brief shadow of the cannonballs' speedy passages through the translucent matter of the ghost ship.

Captain Jack Sparrow grinned and murmured, "Now there's something you don't see every day...so close and yet so far from death, protected simply because of the shadow of former life."

Captain Barbossa shrugged and muttered, "I don't know...in a way, I fear that was what I was before. Come on, we're almost upon them, let's get the rope and tackle we need to swing onboard _The Spear_. Such a name...yet what good does it do them now?"

The living pirates started to gather up and secure the gear they needed to swing across the gap and onto the deck of _The Spear_, though the ghosts simply stood to the side for now and watched, as they had learned from their previous attacks on the other two armada ships that they could simply float across the gap and onto the other ship. Bootstrap Bill also did not hurry about to grab a coil of rope, he could simply appear onboard _The Spear_ so long as he knew which spot he was transporting himself to, but he did follow his son about, checking to see that he obtained a fine piece of rope.

Bootstrap nodded and told him, "Make sure that it isn't too frayed, Will, it could unravel in mid-swing...are you sure that's the right length to maintain momentum? Do you know how to land properly, feet first and ready to fight at the instant, will you be careful not to swing into the blade of a sword?"

Will Turner sighed and replied, "Father, I am certain this is a good rope and I know the technique involved in all of this, I've boarded quite a few ships in the last year or so with Captain Jack Sparrow, perhaps too many for my preference...I may or may not have mentioned this, but I will not stay in piracy once we are done here. I will be going back to England, to gain good employment as a blacksmith...I hope you won't be disappointed."

Bootstrap shook his head and informed him, "My son, I will not be disappointed, I will be content in whatever life you choose if it is the best for you...I do not want you to be miserable here, I would rather have you enjoy your life and remain steadfast in your values. Honest labor is rewarding and my fate might have been different, if I had chosen that for my occupation."

On the other side, Teague Sparrow turned his head and yelled, "Honest labor gave me nothing but money to drink away in the local pub, that was a false reward!"

Bootstrap cleared his throat and exclaimed, "That was your own life, Teague, and Will can make his own, whatever is best for him!"

Governor Weatherby Swann raised his hands and cried, "Gentlemen, gentlemen, we must not fight amongst ourselves, considering we will have enough combat to contend with in a short while!"

Teague lowered his head and murmured, "Sorry, guv'nor."

At the wheel, Koleniko spun it about and roared, "This is as close as I can get _The Black Pearl_, fellows! Her final resting place!"

The pirates roared as Penrod and Marty glanced at each other, nodding while Pintel nervously glanced around and queried, "How come Murtogg and Mullroy got the easy job of guarding Miss. Swann while we're risking our lives out here?"

Ragetti raised his head and responded, "Oh, they swore an oath to the governor, of course, in his last breathing moments and they're committed to that. Besides, Jack's got enough trouble to deal with without worrying for her safety and without getting distracted by all four of us bungling about."

Pintel nodded, but then he blinked and turned to ask Ragetti what he meant, but then Jimmylegs' ghost wandered amongst them and shouted, "Quiet down, all of you, Captain Sao Feng is about to give the signal!"

Captain Sao Feng stepped onto the rail and bellowed as the living pirates grabbed their ropes and swung out, James Norrington and Anamaria hand in hand as they soared through the air while Cotten's parrot glided across, Jack the monkey shrieking as he held on tight to Barbossa's shoulders, Joshamee Gibbs chuckling heartily, the ghosts and Bootstrap frightening the soldiers on _The Spear_ as they suddenly appeared and Will jumping down amongst them, so fierce that they recoiled. Meanwhile, Captain Hector Barbossa stepped to the side until Captain Jack Sparrow swung across and lightly landed near him, the two men now converging together as they stood at the rear of the fray, glancing across. They barely noticed Tia Dalma, who had awkwardly swung across and grunted as she dropped onto the deck of 'the Spear, for Jack and Barbossa were focused on the figures of Mercer and Lord Cutler Beckett, standing together on the quarterdeck with the casket-chest containing the heart of Davy Jones placed between them.

Captain Jack Sparrow shrugged and muttered, "I have to admit, they're certainly trying to make a bold statement, putting up their last defenses on the tall deck...it's got some style, no doubt. Not very practical though, right?"

Captain Hector Barbossa glanced over and replied, "Depends...you can see your adversaries coming at you better, you have some advantage initially that you can strike downward while they're still ascending, and the gaps are confined to one attacker at a time. Yet there's less chance of escape, less space as well...it could turn into a trap for those two fellows. You want to spring it?"

Jack smiled and whispered, "Of course, it's either them or my hand that'll get caught, and the cheese is worth the risk of my hand."

With that, the two captains started to advance and Jack didn't look back at the ghost of his _Black Pearl_...he had longed for one last voyage and he had received it out to _The Spear_, yet it hadn't been as he had remembered before its destruction...he would always have his memories and his own spirit, and that was perhaps the best legacy that _The Black Pearl_ had given him in the end. Meanwhile, the other pirates were putting up a fierce fight, yet angling their attack so as to subtlety drive away the royal marines from the steps of the quarterdeck in order to give Jack and Barbossa less opposition for their final targets. However, for the most part, not even such a tactic was necessary for as some soldiers were once more confronted with not just the Caribbean pirates, but also the martial-arts trained Cantonese pirates led by Chen and Lin as well as the pirate ghosts, so soon after they had thought they had escaped them for good after the horrible battles on the beach...it was just too much. Most of the surviving soldiers now surrendered and as not all of the pirates were needed to fight those that still resisted, there came a brief moment where Bootstrap Bill and his son Will were left alone.

There was nothing said between them for a moment, but finally Bootstrap sighed and said, "I should have told you earlier...I've been holding it off, what with all of the fighting, but I fear that now there won't be another spare moment before all of this is ended and when it is, I don't know if...if it'll just happen in an instant, before anything can be said. I suspect that such will be the case and I don't want it to shock you all of a sudden."

Will blinked and turned to his father as he queried, "What are you talking about? What will happen?"

Bootstrap gazed at him and responded, "You see, when they gain the heart of Davy Jones and when they...should pierce it or so, Davy will change and die...as will I."

Will gasped and murmured, "No, father...it can't be true, not when I got the chance to be reunited with you, not when...I wanted to stab Davy's heart, in the hopes that it would free you, but not like this. Why should you have to die, in such a way, so soon after...is there any way to prevent this?"

Bootstrap shook his head and told him, "Not unless you want Davy Jones to live, with his heart still under the whim of Lord Beckett's control or the control of any man...or perhaps in his own hands. You see, I am bound to him to all eternity from the stakes of that liar's dice game, so I have to follow him into eternity...yet even if such weren't the case, his death would free my soul, but I was at the bottom of the ocean when my soul was taken, Will...I would die now from that, especially when the curse of the Aztec gold has already been removed. Yet as to my death...these last few years have been hard on me, misery and pain and rot, the worst woes of piracy expanded in manifold made even worse when I knew it was unnatural...death is natural, it is part of life even when the living fear it. I think now I would find some peace in it, when the heart of Davy Jones is dealt with...especially when I got the chance to see you, my boy Will all grown up, and that is a chance that is most rare when I should be dead, no matter how short our meetings have been. You will have grief and that is natural...I understand that it will be hard, especially when Elizabeth left you so recently, but think upon my words and don't let your grief consume you into dark misery as your life must continue, you must not lose hope in life...there is good in life."

Will Turner slowly nodded, though he was still numb and the words had yet to sink in...he could think of nothing else to say and soon, they were attacked again, and there wasn't any chance to speak.

Mercer grimaced and called out, "My lord, that wretched Captain Jack Sparrow and a friend of his are advancing upon us!"

Lord Cutler Beckett glanced out and sighed as he murmured, "Ah, and I thought it was going to be such a good day today, after all of my work...well, perhaps the only expectation that I should have upheld, despite my successes, was that life could be cruel. Still, we shall deal with them to the best of our abilities, I will not be called a coward at the end whatever else I might have done...they may surrender to pirates, but I will not, and perhaps I shall make an end as to shame those traitors."

Mercer nodded, finding himself in some agreement with his lord, though he did not anticipate the idea that the shame of the others would come only at the expense of their own lives. Meanwhile, Captain Hector Barbossa now took the lead of the two-man attack party comprised of himself and Captain Jack Sparrow, managing to by then reach the steps leading up to the quarterdeck...there was only other man and Mercer to be dealt with in order to reach Beckett and the casket with the heart of Davy Jones. The two men were unaware that, a short distance behind, Tia Dalma had been taking advantage of the path that they had cleared through the fighting and had followed them to close to their point. She had now stopped and glanced around, making sure that she was unnoticed, but she had no need to worry as a few of the pirates were still fighting the resisters, including her sister Anamaria and her beloved James Norrington, while Dalma had managed to obtain a spot that obscured her from the sight of the others. Now she reached down and pulled out her mother's necklace from underneath her blouse, studying its fine artistry in the formation of a seashell before she opened it up, playing the music of her mother Calypso and her father Davy Jones. Tia Dalma sighed and murmured softly, chanting in a slow, undulating voice as forceful as the waves while the clockwork music continued to play, yet now growing smoother and louder into its fully realized melody.

A short distance away, Anamaria staggered back and exclaimed, "The music! James, can you hear the music?"

Norrington blinked and turned to her for a brief lull as he shouted, "My dear Ana, what do you mean? I hear nothing except the battle! What music?"

Anamaria shook her head and cried, "The music, it's...oh no! James, please, we have to find my sister, we have to stop her, she can't bring here! I don't know what Davy Jones would do to all of us, but I fear no good can come of calling him to come!"

Meanwhile, Captain Barbossa had just dispatched the first man on the stairs to the quarterdeck and turned his attack on Mercer, slashing out at him as the man cooly blocked the blows, though a few drew blood...he attempted to show no fear, but Mercer also knew that no good could come to save himself now. As Barbossa's charge grew more fierce, Mercer was forced to retreat back from the top of the stairs, allowing Captain Jack the space he needed to slip past them and to now gain clear space between himself and Beckett.

Jack glared at the lord and queried, "Hello, Cutler...how's your neck? Does it still feel a little tender sometimes?

Beckett winced, but composed himself as he responded, "At times, despite the years, perhaps because I could find no way of coming close enough to you to...reward you likewise, but with a 'deeper' severity."

Jack growled and muttered, "Really? That's strange, because not that long ago, it seemed like you were in a hurry to make sure that you would have no way of coming close to me...in fact, you were in such a rush, that you didn't care who got in your way. You're lucky that only her arm got cut...I'll make it quick so that you can go on, in your same rush and in your same temper, to meet whatever reward awaits you."

At that moment, the music started to play...Captain Jack Sparrow hesitated for a moment, turning his head to listen to the melody, thinking to himself of how Elizabeth had called him back and how his steps had retraced themselves with the tide...and of that night on the rumrunner island, before she burned the rum, how everything had been peaceful for a moment as he told her about what _The Black Pearl_ meant to him. On the other hand, Lord Cutler Beckett couldn't help thinking of his mother, his poor mother, but that made him think of his father and how she had wearily told him, so many times as a young boy when she dressed him in his shabby clothes, how things could have been so much better if he had been born the son of a Swann instead of a Beckett.

Now Lord Beckett shook his head, reprimanding himself...perhaps his life would have been better materially as a Swann, but his mother had been unable to live long enough to see how he had managed to survive and thrive even as a Beckett while maintaining his dignity and his standards, unlike his father. Yes, and he owed some of that to the East India Company, which had set him to task to find such rogue pirates as the traitor Captain Jack Sparrow...seizing this chance, Lord Beckett unsheathed his sword and stepped forward, raising it high as he prepared to slash into the distracted Jack.


	24. What It Means to be Whole

This is the second to last chapter, the climax of the final battle, where the final exchanges are made in wounds and in tradesand where we come to realize some of the differences between villains and heroes.

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**24. What It Means to be Whole  
**

Yet as the melody resonated from the seashell locket, some pirates had turned their heads and, in horror, saw in the distance that Captain Jack Sparrow was standing there on the quarterdeck, distracted and defenseless to the sword that Lord Cutler Beckett was now raising high to stab him in the back. At that point, most of them, and the soldiers that they had been fighting against, were too shocked at this scene to utter a sound, but within an instant some of them, among whom were Will Turner, James Norrington, Captain Hector Barbossa, Captain Sao Feng, Teague Sparrow, Governor Swann, Joshamee Gibbs and Ragetti, yelled out. No matter how far away they were from Jack, no matter whether or not they were still involved in duels where just that outburst might have left their own bodies prone to attack, they still shouted, not out of alarm, but for a clear, resonating, and loud warning that even matched the locket's melody for dominance of hearing.

Jack blinked and, suddenly remembering where he was with such a roar of noise, he quickly spun and raised up his own sword, managing to parry the plunging blade as he staggered slightly and yelped, "Whoagiterburga-uh!"

Lord Beckett groaned and stepped back as he yelled, "I can't believe you, you're an idiot! You should never have been made a captain, it's only your damn fool luck that has allowed you to survive for this long!"

Jack shrugged and leapt forward in his attack as he cried, "If you want to believe that I'm an idiot, I can't fault you for that! If you want to believe that I survive because of luck, then more power to you! Yet I do fault you and yet I would never give you any more power, for you are a man who does not deserve such courtesy! For you are a man who doesn't understand that, by your own actions and by own malice, you have never had the advantage of loyalty or love! That is why I am a captain, that is why I survive!"

As the duel began anew between them, the two different sides now were focused only on observing this one fight as most of the soldiers and sailors had already surrendered and the rest had been dealt with due force. They had been unaware when Anamaria and James Norrington had been trying to push through the crowd just a few moments before, but then the couple had delayed while Norrington had paused to join in the bellowing warning and Anamaria had only been able to tug at him, trying to get him to move. Yet that delay had prevented them from their mission of trying to stop Tia Dalma from calling Davy Jones, for when the duel had begun again, the music had stopped...Dalma's seashell locket remained open and, as she held it out in one hand, another hand had appeared parallel to hers, a grayish-greenish hand also holding out another seashell locket. Now Dalma raised her head and stared into the face of Davy, unnerved enough at the welcoming sight of his tentacle beard that she didn't at first notice how he had blinked, his hopeful eyes now widening in bewilderment before they squinted, intense in studying her. Yet she quickly became aware of his penetrating gaze and stared up into his eyes before he glanced away, slowly nodding to himself as he sighed.

After a moment, Davy Jones turned back to her and remarked, "So, I suppose you are...Calypso's daughter. My daughter. You have more of your mother in you, but there is a little of me as well."

Dalma cleared her throat and murmured, "Aye, I suppose that may be my eyes or so...mother told me, when I was young, that my eyes saw too much."

Davy winced and muttered, "Please, say nothing of her...while it does not hurt, without my heart, I still cannot help...when I heard the music, I thought it was her calling me. Yet it was you, she never said...well, I had been forced to leave so soon and I suppose there wasn't any chance for such news when I came back to Isla Cruces that one time...there was no reason for her, I can see now, to tell me about it when I did what I did to...that other man. I do not know how to speak of this myself now, so it must have been harder for her then, especially when she...she did have her own?"

Tia Dalma nodded and replied, "Yes, my mother Calypso would have never cut out her own heart, not even after what you did to yourself, and then to that...other man and to her. There was pain for her and she left...me, and my own heart had pain, but you see me whole still...father. I see you, how you were whole before, but how you are not whole now...but you still look out over the ocean, you have begun to search the waves once more, to see the foam rise up and crash against the shore, so hard and yet so soft...that is whole, what would the ocean be like without that?"

Davy lowered his head, so she continued, "Stay in the shadows here, father, and I promise I will return with your heart, this you must trust for the bond between us cannot be cut, that will still be whole even if you do not do the right thing...while I must trust that you will do the right thing and, if you do so, I will follow you in that bond, my father, for I feel the sea calling me."

By then, Captain Hector Barbossa had finished off the fight between himself and Mercer, turning away from the prone figure as he glanced over at Captain Jack Sparrow and Lord Cutler Beckett, both now dueling back and forth with the blades evenly matched, each parry clanging against each attempted attack. Barbossa shook his head, this fight might go on forever if he didn't go over there and lend aid in quickly dispatching Beckett...yet he couldn't interfere. Though he did want to offer such help, he knew that Jack would resent it, he would want to finish this old business alone...so all he could do now was lean against the quarterdeck rail, occasionally reaching down for the hilt of a pistol, but then he would shake his head and tell himself again that it wasn't necessary.

Meanwhile, the ghosts were standing idly on the deck and some, mostly Captain Sao Feng and the deceased members of his Cantonese crew, had even wandered back onto the spirit of _the Black Pearl_, but Teague Sparrow and Governor Weatherby Swann still lingered. They watched as Bootstrap Bill approach the former members of _The Flying Dutchman_, speaking in soft yet urgent tones to them, as Weatherby queried, "What do you suppose they are talking about?"

Teague sighed and responded, "Dying, what else...Bootstrap's fate is tied into the fate of the heart of Davy Jones and since it's likely that the heart will be destroyed, he wants to know what will happen, what he may feel when he passes on and since his death may be...unique, he is asking those that specifically have already passed on in a similar manner. Well, guv'nor, looks like this'll end pretty soon...I can see my boy up there, fighting hard, I trust that he'll take care of everything without any harm to him. Of course, he may have been distracted that one time before, but he's lucky sometimes...I have hope for him, for his future after all of this, especially when he'll have your daughter looking after him. Hello, Weatherby, are you paying attention?"

Weatherby didn't hear as he was staring toward the distant end of the ship, to where Tia Dalma was now slipping out of an alcove beneath the stairs leading up to the quarterdeck...he could have sworn the shadows in there had grown bigger while she was sequestered in there. Even now, he was surprised to see that she was turning now to face the steps, gazing up at the action taking place on the quarterdeck like she was waiting...at that point, James Norrington and Anamaria rushed out of the crowd and the little sister grasped Dalma by the shoulder.

The governor was too far away to hear Anamaria hiss, "Please, don't do this, I can't see why you would help Davy Jones after everything he's done, to so many souls and to our own family...why do you want to give him the thing he most wants?"

Tia Dalma turned to stare at Anamaria, who was suddenly awed by the serene, yet powerful expression on Dalma's face...her elder sister replied, "Because it is the thing Davy Jones most needs. Anamaria, he is still my father and nothing can truly be made right until everything is made whole, and so I will take the heart not for any control, but for the sake of love. Good-bye, my sister, this alone is my duty, as he is my father, but you still have your own duty to your James and with both of your loves, this will make something whole and right in this world. My baby sister, blessings to you and may you have calm seas."

Anamaria and Norrington, shocked, could do nothing and Tia Dalma now climbed up the steps while up on the quarterdeck, Captain Jack stepped to one side, flexing his wrist as his blade managed to slide past Lord Beckett's defense and pierce his stomach. Beckett gasped, staggering backwards as a silence fell over the assemblage, so riveted upon the scene that they didn't notice Dalma's approach...the lord collapsed onto his knees and Jack stepped closer to him, turning his back on the prize he had been fighting for, the casket containing Davy's heart.

Barbossa yelped as Dalma dashed by him, but Jack didn't hear as he leaned in towards Lord Beckett, bending down as he whispered, "You will always remember this as the day you almost defeated Captain Jack Sparrow."

Lord Cutler Beckett gasped, "Captain-" and then fell over, never to say anything else, yet the word echoed in everyone's ears as Tia Dalma also bent down on the other side of Jack, picking up the casket-chest and clutching it tight.

Captain Hector Barbossa yelled, "Jack, she's got the heart!"

Captain Jack Sparrow turned around and blinked, surprised to see Tia Dalma up here, right now backing away from him as she clutched the casket-chest tightly, all the more so since he was unaware that he was holding up his sword, stained with the blood of Lord Cutler Beckett. Meanwhile, Bootstrap Bill had gasped earlier, but hadn't been able to say anything when he was attacked by a soldier, yet now there was a lull and Will asked him what was the matter.

Bootstrap Bill now turned his head and nodded, unable to speak both out of fear and out of relief of what was to come...Will turned around and stared at the shadow underneath the stairs of the quarterdeck, recognizing the shape as he shouted, "Davy Jones! Davy Jones is on this ship!"

Almost everyone, hearing those words, was horrified and frantically looked about, especially the soldiers, sailors, and pirates that had been raised to fear the mere mention, much less the presence, of Davy Jones. However, the crew of _The Flying Dutchman_ had no real fear of him now, not after the change in him, they had also briefly felt his arrival since they had been so connected to him in existence as Bootstrap still was...but they had said nothing.

As for Jack, he winced slightly, but he had his soul and Elizabeth safe on shore, he had no need to fear as long as he maintained control of his security and so he now whispered, "Tia Dalma, please hand over the heart to me...I do not want any harm to come to anyone."

Yet Tia Dalma stared at his sword and Jack, remembering it and realizing its threat, quickly dropped his sword while she shook her head and murmured, "Yes, you may not want any harm to come, but that doesn't mean that you can guarantee it, especially if you become too careless with your wants...that was how it began for Norrington, for Beckett, and for so many others when they started, yet here we are. Such control should never be held, not by human hands that care nothing for rights and freedom."

With that, Tia Dalma dashed off and Barbossa attempted to grab her or the casket-chest out of her hands, but she was too quick for her and Jack would not have even allowed him to stop her. This was her own determination and wisdom, she didn't have much of a selfish motivation...as Tia Dalma raced down the steps, with everyone gathering around and Anamaria watching anxiously from the embrace she shared with James Norrington, Davy Jones stepped out from underneath these steps, having no other reason to keep himself hidden when everyone else knew that he was here.

The pirates and soldiers staggered back from the quarterdeck at the sight of Davy Jones, too shocked to do anything as Tia Dalma raced down the steps and halted in front of her father, gazing up at him and seeing his features now in the full sunlight, from out of the shadows...he stared at her as well, amazed at how much she looked like her mother and now conscious of his gruesome appearance once more. Yet Dalma showed no disgust or terror, she held out the chest and opened it, delicately reaching in to pick up the heart of Davy Jones as he sighed softly, realizing that he hadn't felt such a gentle touch on his heart for many years, not even when he personally held it now and again...the last time his heart had felt something so soft was when Calypso had taken his heart out of his chest, to preserve it and his life after he had stabbed himself, though he had hardly been aware of it then. Yet now he cried softly, wishing that he could see Calypso again, and suddenly his claw hand reached up and tore away his shirt without any forethought, his aqua, slimy chest was revealed with a scarred, semi-transparent flap of skin barely covering the hole that he had cut into himself.

In the crowd, Anamaria whimpered and hid her face into Norrington's shoulder as he winced and nearby, Pintel murmured, "Bloody hell. Ragetti, do you see what I see?"

Ragetti blinked and involuntarily caught his wooden eye when it fell out as he replied, "Yes, uncle, though it's the oddest thing I've ever seen and that's very rare with all both of us have been through."

Up on the quarterdeck, Captain Hector Barbossa and Captain Jack Sparrow both had the best view of the event and Barbossa shook his head as he muttered, "Aye, such a wound he's done to himself...I cannot know him and yet I do."

Jack slowly nodded, unable to look away as down below, Tia Dalma reached up and, with one hand, ripped away the thin layer of skin as she quickly raised up the other hand to carefully push the heart through the hole. Davy Jones gasped and roared, tears dripping down like a wave as Dalma cried as well as she embraced her father, who collapsed against her as he clutched her body. The pirates and soldiers lowered their heads, the hard men wiping their eyes and Gibbs raggedly cleared his throat, turning his head away, only to see, a short distance away, Bootstrap Bill crumbling onto his knees. Will Turner held on to his father and it appeared to Gibbs as if they were speaking to each other, though he was too far away to hear their final farewells...at that moment, the sunlight seemed to grow brighter and everyone was blinded, covering their eyes while they heard the sound of waves splashing heavily against _the Spear_. Jack squinted, he had to see what was happening, and briefly he glimpsed the form of Calypso rising up out of the tall, foamy waves and step onto the deck, walking over towards the figures of Davy Jones and Tia Dalma.

On the other side of the ship, Anamaria whispered, "Mother," but she only clutched tighter to James Norrington, she had her own life to live before she could see her mother again. An agonizing moment passed and then the sunlight faded and the day seemed darker than before as everyone opened their eyes and immediately turned toward where Davy and Dalma had been standing, but they were gone. Will, on the other hand, lifted his head and stared at the ghostly figure of Bootstrap Bill in human form, who then smiled at his son and told him, "Calypso told all of us spirits that we're allowed to stay for awhile longer, to settle this business and to give us a peaceful moment for good-byes."

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**One more chapter left!**


	25. Needs & Wants In Calm Seas

Here it is, the final chapter of my first fan-fiction, and everything comes full circle. As to any other fan-fictions I may do...I am uncertain of that, but more than likely, they won't be _Pirates_ related. My second one on IMDb, _Neptune's Chariot_, is dwindling and I may end it with a quick summary. I suppose I should stick to my own real writing, for as a fan, perhaps it's best for me to just read or watch...unless I get another itch when it comes to another TV show or another book and when I can think of a good story that fits the characters. In any case, I added some thematic touches or so in the last scene...the more explicit part as well, but then again, I've been reading _Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife_ and...it's very interesting as _Pride and Prejudice _continues. In sum, this has been, at times, a lovely experience to write, a bit of an exercise in trying to fit fixed characterizations with my own plot/style and it has been a little frustrating with some rewards...but, in the end, perhaps the best reward will be experiencing the thrill of it all up on the screen, figuratively the movie screen come May 25th as a fan, but the computer screen will do for now as fan fiction.

**Disclaimer:** **I do not own _Pirates of the Caribbean_...not so long ago, in fact, I never thought I would have to state that, but as I registered on IMDb in August or so and read my first fan fictions of _POTC 3_, I got caught up in the thrill and, gradually after I started posting on there, came across and posted this fan-fic again. I look upon fan fiction with mixed feelings, as I do when it comes to Disney and fond memories/some cynicism, disappointment with corporation/Pirates!**, **but I suppose I will do it again. It's a want, simply, not a need...sometimes, even wants have to be fulfilled.**

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**25. The Needs and Wants in Calm Seas**

It was some time later as, back on the island, Murtogg brushed aside some shrubbery and stepped into the jungle clearing. Mullroy glanced up from his seat leaning against the truck of a palm tree, Elizabeth Swann lying beside him, still unconscious from her injury.

Mullroy blinked and queried, "What's wrong? Are they coming back or...are there soldiers instead?"

Murtogg shook his head and responded, "No soldiers, it's Anamaria and Gibbs in the rowboat. Whatever else, I suppose it's done...and we've survived."

Mullroy slowly nodded and muttered, "Right, then, let's carry her out to meet them."

With that, the two former soldiers carefully lifted up Elizabeth between them and conveyed her out to the shore, trying not to disturb her, but she opened her eyes and winced, too weak to cry out as she tried to make herself limp to lessen the ache. She stared up, only able to see the glare of sunlight on Murtogg's face until she eventually heard the sounds of wave crashing against the rocks and realized they were moving her onto the beach. At that point, she felt other hands grip her as they lowered her onto the soggy boards of a rowboat and now Elizabeth could see the faces of Gibbs and Anamaria out of the corner of her eyes. They appeared slightly distracted, and occasionally Anamaria would wipe her eyes, but Elizabeth couldn't question them about what was wrong as she soon slipped back into her restless slumber. Now and again, she would feel the heave of a wave or become bothered by the sunlight and wake up, her eyes gazing about to see Murtogg and Mullroy rowing while Gibbs sat up near the bow of their rowboat, until Anamaria would lean over and hum softly until Elizabeth closed her eyes.

Once, she heard Murtogg, in between his strokes, ask, "I...don't mean to be...nosy. But...what happened? Did...did Jack get...the heart?"

Gibbs sighed and bluntly answered, "Aye, well...that's something else. Enough talk, you two, we'll be in choppy waters here and you should save your breath...we're heading to that ship right there, _The Spear_."

Mullroy glanced around and remarked, "You know, there were four ships out here, not counting the ghostly _Black Pearl_, and now..._the Flying Dutchman_ has sunk, has it not?"

Anamaria slowly nodded and managed to reply, "Yes, it did...there was one last captive, Wyvern, who couldn't leave because he was attached to the ship itself and with...with Davy gone, we suspect he split from the ship and it couldn't support itself."

Elizabeth groaned and shifted, managing to lift her head and see the ship that they were heading towards and, within a few short minutes, the rowboat had reached the side of _The Spear_. She was now more conscious and wasn't going to allow herself to slip back into helplessness again, making herself as comfortable as possible with her bandaged arm, while several ropes were dropped down. Gibbs and Anamaria tied them on and the rowboat was pulled out of the water and onto the deck of the ship, where Elizabeth grunted as she sat up and allowed Mullroy to help support her as she clambered onto the deck, her legs weak from the blood-loss. Together, the five of them walked through the crowd of pirates, living and ghosts, and surrendered soldiers, all of whom stepped out of the way and allowed them to walk up to the desk that Captain Hector Barbossa and James Norrington, with his parrot Bootstrap Bill, stood beside while Captain Jack Sparrow sat behind it, his legs crossed up on the desktop.

Jack smiled at the sight of Elizabeth, and she managed to smile as he exclaimed, "Welcome abroad my new ship!"

xxxxxxxxxx

It was now evening and Elizabeth was leaning against the rail of the ship, gazing out at the two dark realms reflected by the calm seas...the noise behind her was muted for awhile as she mused that so much had happened. When she had first arrived, it was right in the middle of the meeting that had been called by the pirates to split their forces and their acquirements. In a way, with the pirate code, their battle formations, and their even allotments of loot, it seemed to her as if pirates were more organized than Sir Robert Walpole and his Parliament. Captain Jack Sparrow had _the Spear_ and Captain Hector Barbossa was granted _Malcolm's Maid_, which he was considering renaming as _Fury's Followers_, but James Norrington, as captain still of _the Dauntless_, didn't think that he would change the name, although Anamaria had rolled her eyes...she probably had her own ideas about that.

Most of the captured soldiers that were brought forward wouldn't swear off their loyalty to the East India Company and so arrangements had to be made for them to be marooned on the island with supplies sufficient enough to last all of them a few days until another ship would come by. However, some soldiers and sailors, conscripted involuntarily into service, vowed heartily to piracy and so they would be spread out between the 3 ships to serve, under scrutiny until they proved their worth and loyalty. As for the surviving Cantonese pirates, they too were spread out with 5 per ship, each with one Cantonese sailor that could speak English. In that matter, Lin was staying with Jack and Chen would move onto _the Dauntless_.

Yet, in the last part of the meeting, there came the hardest split...the Caribbean pirates each had to choose their ship as they had to be numerous enough to help things settle out. Elizabeth was staying with Jack, of course, and Joshamee Gibbs wouldn't leave his captain while Marty eagerly stepped forward to join. Norrington and Anamaria certainly couldn't be parted, they were already connected as much as Jack the monkey was to Barbossa or, for that matter, Bootstrap Bill the parrot was to Norrington. Yet the next alignments came as the greatest surprise to the others and as perhaps the hardest splits...in the end, Murtogg and Ragetti both wanted to sail on _the Dauntless_ while their older mates, Pintel and Mullroy, chose to sail with Captain Barbossa on _Fury's Followers_.

Murtogg shook hands with Mullroy and informed him, "I owe you so much, my friend, you've been looking out for me and keeping me in line...I wouldn't have made it, not as a soldier and not as a pirate, if you hadn't been there to help me out."

Meanwhile, Ragetti shook his head and rubbed his wooden eye as he told Pintel, "Uncle, that's...that's just the way it's been with you and me, 'cept for that soldier part, but being a pirate was hard enough for me as it was, 'specially when we...changed for a bit. You've been hard on me, but I still wouldn't have had it any other way, at least I knew someone cared for me."

Mullroy cleared his throat and glanced back at Murtogg as he murmured, "Ah, well, I just wanted you to stay safe, especially when you've been a good mate and always ready to rush into the fray with me...we'll meet up again and I'm sure you'll do fine. Besides, there's Ragetti...now you've got someone to look out for and keep in line."

Pintel slowly nodded and turned to Ragetti as he raggedly muttered, "Ya hear that, now? You'll be in good hands, probably better than I was...I have to say it was nice to have you around, still, I wish now I had been kinder to you. I suppose I never realized you might move on...but it's good, now you'll have stories to share with me that I never been in, eh?"

Of course, these weren't the only good-byes...after the meeting, and after another arrangement, the living pirates bid farewell to the spirits of Captain Sao Feng and the ghost members of _the Empress_, the former crew of _the Flying Dutchman_ and Bootstrap Bill, and Teague Sparrow and Governor Weatherby Swann. Even now, Elizabeth wiped her eyes as she remembered it, especially when all of the spirits floated back towards the ghost of _the Black Pearl_ and sailed off, with Teague and Weatherby and Bootstrap standing together, waving good-bye to their children before they faded away. Bill the parrot squawked out his namesake and Will had lowered his head, just breathing in was all he could do, while Jack gently wrapped his arm around Elizabeth, careful not to disturb her injured arm, and she could have sworn that, even with the sound of her own crying, she had heard him sniffle...his father had told him his mother would have been proud of him, a good pirate who was now married.

Mrs. Elizabeth Sparrow softly smiled, at least glad that the ghosts had lingered long enough so that her father could drift beside her as she walked down the length of the deck to where Jack, with his father and his crew and Norrington and even Will as his best men, stood with a nervous grin in front of Captain Barbossa, thumbing through a worn copy of a Bible that one of the former soldiers had given him. Swann and Sparrow were married and, despite the brief sorrows of the spiritual departures, the pirates and their new recurits still couldn't resist a chance to hold a celebration...it was getting late and yet the party was still going on, with rum and brief snatches of 'Yo-ho'.

Suddenly, Elizabeth felt someone behind her and turned around, blinking as she asked, "Will, what are you doing here? I...how are you?"

Will nodded and slowly answered, "I'm as fine as can be expected, I'm coming to terms with it, though...I just wanted to tell you farewell. I can't stay any longer in the Caribbean and I talked with Norrington just a little while ago and he's agreed...in the morning, _the Dauntless_ is going to sail north to one of the New England harbors, we won't be noticed there. He'll drop me off and I'll eventually make my way back home, back to a good life as a blacksmith in Britain, it's what I need...I'll write to you and Jack when I'm settled."

Elizabeth slowly nodded, but she whispered, "You know, there'll be time in the morning, even with everything, for me and Jack to properly bid you farewell."

Will Turner ruefully smiled and murmured, "Well, as to that…I believe this is the only chance we'll have. After all, both of us have everything we need…whatever else we want, perhaps we can never have. Good-bye, Mrs. Sparrow."

He turned away and walked off before she could say a word...it turned out, in the end, he had been right. For that night, as Captain Jack Sparrow approached his wife and they walked off together to their cabin...they slept late the next morning, having been exhausted from all of the excitement, their needs and wants had finally been fulfilled. By the time they woke up and, even later, by the time they stepped outside of their cabin, _the Dauntless_ had already left with its forlorn passenger. He had stared at the ship once known as _the Spear_, now to be called _The White Sparrow_, during his departure before he turned away from his want of the Caribbean with the need to look towards the northeast, his eventual destination, his future laid in Britain...Mr. William Turner, blacksmith.

* * *

_**Needs and Wants: An At World's End Story**_ is complete...thank you all for reading, may you all enjoy calm seas in your lives, but have a little adventure as well with all of your needs and wants fulfilled. -_HelenaHermione_


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